Ascent to Power
by Hot4Gerry
Summary: Erik must rise from the ashes and start a new life. Will he have the courage to accept the love of another woman? One who is struggling to reclaim her own life? Will he find and be willing to accept the one thing he has wanted all his life? Love. R
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Phantom of the Opera. I only own my original characters and story plotline. **

**This is the Phantom's journey from tragedy to his one true soul mate. It is a three part epic tale filled with romance, adventure, heroes and fallen angels. the Phantom did not die from unrequited love. His story only truly began after he lost Christine.**

**Prologue**

Diary of Antoinette Giry March 1870

Did I choose wisely all those years ago to help a poor mistreated boy escape his tormentors? Did the deformity of his face aid in my decision? Was it the filth of his cage that garnered my sympathy? Did I show mercy for that thin half dead little boy hoping only to take him to a safer cleaner place to die? After all these years of keeping his secrets and helping him do I regret giving him my support? Many condemned me when they learned of my connection with the one who lived in the dark recesses of the catacombs. Of course I can understand their censure as the disaster he instigated caused deaths and ruined so many lives.

The first night I saw him my heart ached for that poor innocent boy. The boy who had the face that on one side was the face of the most beautiful little angel to grace God's heaven. The other side looked as if the fires of hell had stormed into his mother's womb burning his flesh so that the ugliness of it equaled the beauty of the other side.

Did I feel guilty as I watched that boy strangle his tormentor? Have I ever had a moment of regret for bringing that child to the opera house? Even though the difference in our ages was not much in years, in experience and maturity we were worlds apart. I suppose that is why I always felt more like Erik's mother than his sister or had any romantic feelings toward him as he grew into a sensually handsome man. He always needed me as a child needs his mother.

He had been so lost and lonely. In the early days of our acquaintance he would not even let me touch him. If I extended my hand to him he would cower and place his hands over his head as if to protect himself from a blow. From the little I had witnessed at the fair I am sure his instincts were learned from past experience. He never expected a hand reaching out to him to mean anything good. A hand had always been used to give him pain never a loving caress. I did eventually win his trust to a certain degree but he could never allow himself the luxury of total trust.

Until Christine took over his mind he had always looked to me for approval. Once his mind set on her nothing I said or did could persuade him to change his course. Nadir I know had tried. That poor lonely boy grew into a lonely man who felt this was his one and only chance for happiness. Since he loved her she had to love him. He did not understand that this is not how love works. One can love another but not have that love reciprocated.

I grieved for that small child who grew into a desperate vengeful man. He was not always so insane. He did have his moments of lucidity. Moments when he could think of things other than Christine. Unfortunately she demanded more of him as the years passed. Her hold over him seemed like she had wrapped him in chains with a short distance between her and him. He could not or she would not allow him to stray too far. Her demands on him were constant and ever increasing in importance.

I am to this day unsure if she realized the damage she was doing to him or not. I would like to think she was too innocent to be aware of how unfairly she treated him. In light of recent events I am not so sure. We all spoiled Christine so much. Even though Meg had just lost her own father a few years before Christine came I still focused more on my adopted daughter and less on Meg. She never seemed to need me as much as Christine. Now I know that was just Meg being a kindhearted sister. She did not wish to hear Christine cry for her father so she never once protested all the attention I lavished on Christine.

If I could go back and redo things I would not have given in to Christine so much. She needed to be more independent. I should have made her behave in a more appropriate manner. I know I should have ignored her tantrums. What is done can not be undone. We are left with the life that has evolved out of all of our tragedies. Hopefully we will learn from our past making our future more secure.

All those years he was such a sweet thoughtful boy content to learn all he could. His mind was so complex. I had never in my life come across anyone as brilliant as Erik. To this day I still am in awe of him. All the things he has accomplished have been due to his own inquisitive mind. He is a self-taught man. Only when I married and ceased being his constant companion did things change. He became sullen and withdrawn. He kept secrets from me. He became bolder in the opera house.

His demands for obedience grew as the fear among the residents of the opera house grew. He demanded a salary to be paid him or retributions of an unimaginable nature would occur. As the years passed he learned the whole of The Paris Opera House from the roof down to the far reaches of the deepest buried catacomb. He built himself a small kingdom down in those damp dreary caverns. He changed many of the passages to suit his needs. Traps were set to protect what he considered his domain. The underground lake provided water for his use as well as navigating through the many tunnels. The opera house provided his nourishment in body and soul. Music became his driving passion. That is until Christine entered our lives.

Erik showed so much talent and promise I should have made more effort to bring him into the mainstream of society. There is so much he had to offer then just as he does now. So much he has had to hide over his lifetime. He had no one to appreciate his genius. I can only imagine how painful it is to create so much beauty and have no one willing to share it with you. I would listen to some of his works but that was not enough for the starving artist in Erik. If God had granted him a more pleasing face his voice would have opened many doors for him. Crowds would have given him standing ovations. Praise would have been heaped upon his head. His voice would have become legendary as would his music. He does have one of the most seductive speaking voices I have ever heard. When he sings even I feel like a young girl with the first stirrings of passion.

I should have realized his passionate voice was only rivaled by his passionate nature. If I had paid more attention I could have saved Christine and Erik so much pain. I could have saved everyone. In the end I saved no one. At first I had no concerns as he comforted the little girl Christine had been. I saw no harm in his need for a companion to share his music. Christine had a wonderful singing voice but she was not trained. Erik could give her the training she would need to take her place among the stars on stage.

If I had realized earlier how attached he became to Christine I would have tried to intervene. Once I saw how much he had come to love her in later years it was much too late to stop him from doing whatever he wanted to bring his love to join him in his kingdom. She would be his queen. If he had to kill to possess her he would. In the end he did just that. He killed in the name of his love for her. He was blinded by his first powerful feelings of lust and love.

The poor man had been cheated all his life of simple affection and love. First by his mother then by the world. Things may have worked out for him if Raoul de Chagny had not come to be patron of the opera house. He and Christine had known each other as children. They had even shared a young love. Upon meeting again the old romance rekindled.

The cursed man below would not stand for anyone interfering in his plans. His lonely heart had chosen Christine. He would allow nothing to stand in his way. During this time I do feel that Erik might have harmed even me if I had tried to keep Christine away from him. She was his first love other than the first fledgling attraction he had for Meg all those years ago.

He risked all for his love only to suffer rejection in the most painful way imaginable especially for a man who prided himself on presenting a false front of pride and dignity. His deepest shame had been bared for all to see. Stripped of any dignity he may have salvaged upon being rejected by his heart's desire. If Christine had not unmasked him in front of a full opera house I wonder how things might be changed.

In Erik's defense I have to say that in the last month before things lead to that tragic night I noticed Erik was not well. He barely ate or slept. He looked to be feverish most of the time. Sweat pored from his face when he would come for his salary or the supplies I bought for him. The flush on his face led me to believe he was ill but no amount of coaxing from me could convince him to go to the doctor or let Nadir look at him. His mind was so taken with Christine and his plans to sweep off her feet and into his arms he could see nothing else. Nothing else mattered to him in his delusional state of mind.

I worry for all the ones involved in this tragedy. How could things have gone so far? Was it my fault? Should I have tried harder to influence him? I feel I should have spoken to Christine and made her realize he was not her Angel of Music but an ordinary man. One with a heart and soul. Both having been damaged by circumstances beyond his control.

Deep inside he had still been that lonely mistreated boy I had found twenty years ago in a traveling carnival. The same little boy I released from the cage he was never allowed to leave for three years. That is how long he suffered at the hands of the man he killed that night. I feel I am forgiven by my savior as that child had suffered so much abuse. More than a grown man would have been able to survive. I have seen the massive scars on his back which are only rivaled by the ones on his face and heart. If things could have gone differently for him he would have been a tremendous gift to the world. Who knows he may still find that one place where he fits. The one spot on earth that was designated by God himself for him to be happy and loved.

Nadir has assured me he will take care of him now. I do not know the whole of the story behind their relationship. I know bits and pieces. I do know Nadir can be trusted to give him the best of care as he feels he is family. Nadir is not old enough to be his father but perhaps he plays the roll of reluctant older brother. I know by long term experience how hard it is to curb and care for someone who does not fit into any pigeon holes I am familiar with. No, our Phantom is a whole new category.

It is just as well Raoul and Christine have gone into hiding. When his strength returns he may well decide to try and recapture Christine. Even knowing of her betrayal and the part she took in the attempt to capture or kill him he loves her still. Nadir has said he calls for Christine incessantly while in delirium.

Perhaps I should have encouraged him years ago when he first had a crush on Meg. She was thirteen at the time and my motherly instincts would not allow him to even think of such a thing. In maturity and experience he was as young as she was but in age he was about twenty-five. We were never really sure how old he was. We took a calculated guess. I had made him promise to leave my daughter alone and he did. He never let her know he was haunting the opera house. The most she ever saw was a fleeting glimpse of a shadow.

In hindsight I should have made him promise to leave Christine alone as well. So much tragedy could have been avoided. In my ignorance I thought it would be good if he had an interest. Teaching Christine how to use her God given talent for singing did not seem inappropriate as he had been singing her to sleep since the first night she came to the opera house as a little girl of seven just two months before her eighth birthday.

In retrospect there are many things I could have done differently. Do I ever regret saving that boy? That poor sweet innocent little boy? I give a resounding NO! NO! NO! I only regret not taking better care of him. I should have been the one to teach him how to fit in. Instead I allowed him to hide away. Separated from all things human. I pray things go well for him. He has a second chance to make a life for himself. I will pray each morning and each night for him to find happiness. I pray the hardest for him to find a love that is returned a hundred fold. He deserves that. Yes my Erik deserves that and more. So much more. I will say good-night dear diary. I must leave so I may pray for Erik and all my loved ones. Until next time hold my secrets safe. Antoinette Giry

**Diary of Antoinette Mercer 1872**

These last two years have been so stressful. All the strife our country has gone through has devastated everyone. I have not been able to write as much as I wished as it was a struggle to survive. I am so glad we were among the lucky ones who escaped imprisonment or worse. So many did not. People were crazy. I am not a political person. I do not know all that took place during the Commune. I only know you took your life in your hands when you ventured out into the streets. Food was so scarce. Imagine eating the poor caged animals from the zoo in order to have nourishment. I suppose it is not much different than any other animal it just seems wrong somehow. Thankfully Meg and I did not have to resort to anything so drastic. We went to the country to stay with one of my cousins. They were not rich in money but had plenty of good food on the table. The problems in Paris thankfully did not reach us that much. We had an occasional traveler asking for food or a night spent in the barn. We ask no questions and they volunteered nothing. That system worked for everyone. I did not know who would have been my enemy in any case as I have never had concerns other than the arts. Sometimes I do love living in blissful ignorance.

One good thing happened. I fell in love and married. I had thought I would end my days taking care of Meg's children when she has them or living alone and forgotten. My dear Roberto has given me a second chance at life. I have grabbed at this chance greedily. To my sorrow my happiness was exchanged for my daughter's innocence. God why do these things happen?

I am shocked when I read Raoul's letters. I save them for the simple fact that if I did not have this proof I could not bring myself to believe Christine could have turned her back on Meg. A girl she called sister since she was seven years old and I brought her to live with us.

At least Raoul has reassured me he will act on her behalf. That young man has matured so much over the last two years. I suppose the things that have happened to him have made him leave his remaining boyish dreams behind.

**Diary of Antoinette Mercer 1873**

All the letters I receive come sporadically. Things happen and I do not learn of them until it is too late to change anything. Raoul and I have finally reached an agreement of sorts. He will watch over Meg when they travel to America. She will stay with them as Christine's companion. Reading between the lines I feel this is more Raoul's idea than Christine's. It makes no difference to me as long as my poor Meg is safe and happy. Raoul has assured me she is and that they have become close. Not in any romantic way. He looks upon her as a sister.

I did receive a letter from Meg confirming much of what Raoul had already written to me. She however did not mention anything about her ordeal or her future troubles. Receiving this letter made me see the sense of want Raoul said about not going to be with her. She wants to sort things out on her own. I do not care what anyone says or thinks I will be there when my daughter delivers my first grandchild. Not even Erik at his most fierce moment could keep me away. The weather is not conducive to travel just now but in a few more weeks that should change. If she delivers before I arrive at least I will be there when she needs assistance.

It will be so good to see everyone again. Even Erik. I miss him more than I thought I would. I wish to see him and how much he has grown as a man. Nadir writes once in a while but he has to be discrete for we all know Erik will read his mail. Erik does not know the concept of privacy. Or at least as it relates to others. He has no qualms about expecting his own privacy to be honored while abusing that right of others.

Raoul, Meg and Christine should be in America by now. I have not received any letters in about four months. I suppose with the voyage over then having to get settled in they are too busy to drop me a line. It doesn't matter. I already sent a letter to Nadir informing him of their arrival. I told him that Roberto and I should be there in about two months. Hopefully we will have a swift and smooth crossing.

**Diary of Antoinette Mercer1873**

It has been two weeks since my last entry. Depending on if the rocking of the ship affects me or not this may be my last entry until we reach dry land. I have not mentioned it to Roberto but I am scared to death to travel on water in a dinghy, ship or even to swim in water.

Things are all ready and we are just heading out to board our ship that will transport us to America. Roberto has been teasing me. He says I am as giggly as a school girl. I suppose I am. I have prepared Roberto for Erik. I think he will like Erik. He is man of fifty and has never had any children. He already considers Meg his adopted daughter. He is looking forward to being called Grand Papa. I on the other hand am torn. I like the idea of being a grandmother but to actually be called Grand Mama does not sit well with me. Well I have many weeks to come to terms with this. I pray for everyone's safety and continued happiness.


	2. Chapter 1

**Erik, Nadir, Darius 1870 to 1873**

**Chapter One**

**Love Denied Does Not Kill**

The lone dark figure dragged his pain wracked body through the dark Paris night. This was a pain the man had never experienced so acutely. This pain was caused by the love he had for a woman. Or rather love on his part. The matter of her affections for him had been in question until tonight. A woman so far beyond him she traveled with angels. At times he thought her the angel even when she used to ask for her Angel of Music as she searched for him in her lonely night time hours. She was the angel not him. He was far too demonic. A monster in face and deed. A monster he was born. Now as a monster he would die.

Why had he fostered the lie? How could he expect any good to come from the lie? He knew why he encouraged the deception. One time in his life he had given comfort and it had been accepted, even welcomed. His need to have some gentleness, to experience love drove him to foster the lie for so many years. He had received the love of the child. Later he wanted the love of the woman. He wanted to show her he was a man and not a ghost or angel. Just a man who loved her with all that was in him. Every breath he took was for her. Each note he wrote was for her. He had made the mistake of taking her to his home and letting her get close enough to remove his mask. Until that point she had been more than willing to stay with him. Even eager. She had responded to his few tentative caresses. She could accept that he was not her Angel of Music. She could even accept the reality of him as a man. She could not accept the horror of his face.

He was nothing more than a man. A man living in darkness his whole life. A man kept apart from society because his face did not meet the approval of those who thought less of him because of a deformity he did not choose to burden himself with. Now the truth was shown to all of the Paris opera society who had been present on this his first and last performance as a composer and performer. It had all ended in a fiery catastrophe of his own engineering. There was no one else who held blame. It was all his doing. Every last hateful deceitful deed. As much as he blamed Raoul for all that had befallen him, in truth he could not even share his guilt with his hated rival.

Puddles from the thaw a few days prior still sloshed water as he walked soaking his clothes and boots. With the temperature dropping a thin coating of ice had begun to form. He had not thought to bring his cloak, hat or gloves. What difference would it have made anyway? His goal was not to survive but to perish. The man felt his life hanging by a thread in this land of the living. A thread he was all too willing to sever.

A few short hours ago it had begun to rain then gradually becoming sleet then turning to snow again and the mercury on the thermometer was headed downward. In his hiding place in the alley behind the opera house he had watched the chaotic mass of humanity trying to save the burning building. Almost four hours passed before he could leave his position behind the stack of crates in the alley. He found a little warmth in the debris around him. It gave him a little shelter from the weather while also blocking the wind. Water dripped from his clothing. His hair and skin were soaked as well. He shivered from the chilling rain that had turned to freezing rain then snow. He did not want to die here in this alley and be found and dragged through the streets as the oddity of the moment.

Once a proud man commanding hundreds of people at the Paris Opera House to do his bidding now he was reduced to the mess of a man who sought not to die in the streets or alley ways of Paris. He could not rest easy knowing all of Paris was viewing his face and his personal shame. Christine had already served him a nasty dish of humiliation. He hungered for not one scrap more of that bitter meal. He sought a safe quiet place to lay his head as he gave up on this miserable existence he had lived for thirty grueling years. Not a great number of years for the normal man but a seeming eternity for the deformed tortured soul dying from lack of love. Dying for tenderness of any sort. He had never felt the stroke of a loving hand. No lips had brushed tender kisses upon his face, his lips.

He had left his nearly destroyed home in the hands of the fire brigade and volunteers struggling to save something they knew in their hearts was already too far gone to make a difference. The gendarmes more than likely had gone into his home looking for him along with the local police. He saw many surrounding the opera house itself. The mob infiltrating his home in the fifth cellar had no doubt destroyed his precious realm of tranquility. The torches of the onlookers rivaled the blaze of the fire. The noise of the excited crowd roared louder than the gas light explosions. The raining glass did not deter anyone from staying and watching that regal building turn to charred ash. This was live entertainment and cost them not one sou.

The poor of the city thought it just that they were able to witness this end to a place where they would never find a welcoming gesture. If they could afford the price of admission they did not have the proper clothing to gain an easy or welcome entrance to the hallowed halls of the wealthy elite of Paris. The nobles did not rub shoulders with the common man unless the man were a servant drawing his bath or putting him to bed after a night spent too deep in his cups.

The merciful darkness shielded the furtive specter from those who hunted him with his death in the forefront of their minds. One painful tortured step after another, moving from one dark shadowed corner to another he made his way further from the inferno of the opera house. His opera house. His home. If he cared to look he could see flames shooting into the sky as explosions set off rumblings in the surrounding areas and the vibrations shook the windows several blocks around the burning building. He cared not that his former home was well on it's way to ashes. No thoughts other than to seek out a peaceful place to die entered his immediate concerns.

He made his way slowly through the dark familiar alleyways. This was his domain. He had lived in the darkness of night for so long he could barely remember what daylight looked like. His skin was so pale from lack of exposure to the sun. Now he looked close to deaths door. Indeed he looked as if the angel of death had called him to follow him into that shadow world of black enternity.

The man leaned tiredly against a wall. He closed his eyes trying to block out the sight of the rushing crowd headed toward his former home. The Paris Opera House. He was far enough away that the sound of the explosions had become muffled.

Breathing deeply he coughed nearly going to his knees in weakness. His body shivered with cold. Strangely he felt hot inwardly. He seemed not to feel the cold as he had earlier. Shoving himself away from the wall he continued on his set path. Soon he would have his release from this life of pain. This torturous lonely existance. In his opinion he should have been allowed to die at birth. If his mother had not been so cowardly she would have ended his life as soon as she saw him. She had always wished for the strength to take his pitiful life but her religious convictions had stood between her killing her son and allowing him to taint the world with his presence. His mother had never let him forget how much of a burden he was or her wish for his demise. Often he had heard her pray for just such an occurnace. Her son being the spawn of some hellish demon had thwarted her at every turn.

He was no longer even aware of the cold night air taking the warmth from his body for the coldness in his heart had no rival. The pain in the man's body was equaled only by the pain in his heart. A pain that made his chest feel as if someone had reached deep inside and ripped his still beating heart from him. A heart that had only known the pulse beats of love for such a short time. A life lived in misery finally had hopes of finding that one thing all humans have a right to expect. Something that normally starts with parents and ends with a family of one's own. Love. Oh the simplicity of that sweet word. How he had longed to have that emotion returned by anyone. He had hoped, prayed, begged God to show him mercy and allow him this one thing he craved most. He should have remembered God had cast him to hell the moment his father's seed was planted in his mother's womb.

Love had never known this poor tortured disfigured soul until Christine Daae. Love had not been given or received. Until Christine he had only two loves. The loves of his life were his music and the opera house he made his home. For a short time he had fooled himself that Christine could love him. In the most painful way possible she had proved she cared not one whit for him. Her action of betrayal made it seem as if she almost hated him in fact. No one could do what she had done to him and have even the smallest bit of affection for the one they betrayed.

So briefly had he known the joy of his love for his angel. Only long enough for his heart to learn to share it's beat with another. Long enough to dream of a life shared and now all lay in ashes. His dreams. His hopes. His love. Even his beautiful home The Paris Opera House. All gone in but a few hours of a plan born of a doomed obsession. A desperation. All lay in ashes under a thin layer of freshly fallen white snow. How innocent the white looked next to the charred ruins still smoldering in the darkness. The hiss of the melting snow as it fell upon the remains of that once grand building of music and dance gave evidence to the fire that had burned hours ago. Now all lay wet from the feeble attempt to save the fast burning monument to so much talent. The rain had doused the remainder of the flames while cooling the hot remains. The snow continued to fall heavily soon blanketing the ugly remains as if nature wanted to hide the blemish under her concealing pure white blanket.

That pure white beauty covered the ugliness of his evil deed. A pure white blanket to cover his sin, cover the shame of his failure to be a man. To have this deceiving blanket cover all his sins would be a kindness and mercy from the heavens. A mercy denied him throughout his life. As he trudged through the deserted alleyways he prayed to a God he often had doubts of existing to show him mercy now. He prayed for the depth of the cleansing snow to be so deep as to cover all until such time as the warming temperature melted that heaven sent blanket and the charred remains of the opera house had turned to dust. An unreasonable request but in this moment his thoughts were not clear or realistic. His body felt on fire but it shook with chills. His head hurt with tormenting images of Christine in the arms of her knight and savior. That damn boy with his charm and handsome perfect face. Each tortured breath he thought might be his last as his head began to swirl as if he had turned to many times in a circle. His skull felt ready to split with his fevered thoughts and pain.

God! How he wished he could go back and change things. Take back the last few hours. Change his lust dominated decisions. Now that a modicum of sanity was returning to him he saw the futility of his actions along with the destruction of all he held dear in this world.

Madame Giry and her daughter along with hundreds were homeless and without employment due to his blinding obsession with his Angel. He could place no blame at her door. The responsibility for this horror lay exclusively on his monstrous shoulders. A weight he would have to bare as he did so many others. His life was one huge burden. At times it seemed as if the weight of the world were on his back as if he were Atlas supporting that blue sphere in the heavens. Such was far from the truth. He was a mere mortal man burdened with a horrific face and equally horrific life.

Nothing was left but the pain of loss and hopelessness of all the tomorrows lived in loneliness and loss unless some kind fate granted his wish for death which he was sure was imminent. He had no fear of a long life for he knew he would die soon as his heart could not go on much longer under the stress of his pain. The burning searing pain surely must kill him. For hours he waited for death to claim him but that dark angel did not see fit to visit just yet.

Even in death he was a failure for his miserable life was to continue. Death had not been his reward. Failure to live wisely and failure to die a timely death this was his legacy. A failure in all things normal men have was an insult to his genius but love had taken all reason and sensibility from him in the moments when he thought on the life he and Christine could ultimately share. In those moments his genius had deserted him. He became an imbecilic boy. Careless with all that was important to him.

His lust for Christine and his desire for love of a woman drove him to ruin. His genius was matched only by his madness in this time of his quest for the one thing he wanted most, love. Such a puny emotion yet with the power to unman him, guide his actions and control his thoughts. Not that he was ever truly considered a man. Oh no. Demon. Monster. Angel of Music. Phantom of the Opera. This was not half the names he could claim as his own.

So many titles attributed to one man. With so many titles one had to wonder why he was not conceited or thought of as someone of great importance. At this moment he would like to claim the title of corpse. Not the living corpse as he was once called during his stellar career as a freak of nature in a sideshow. Heaven forbid not that. Oh to lay claim to death at this moment of his greatest pain would induce him to rethink his ideas of God not existing or being merciful.

All these random bits of his past played across his inner eye. God what a fool he had been. An aging fool. He should have remembered. Light does not exist in the dark. He was pure darkness. His angel was pure light. Christine the love of his life. The destroyer of his soul. The knife that plunged deeply into his heart came when she removed his one precious shield from the world, his mask. Further twisting of that sharp blade came with her words of rejection. The blade cut deep. Death was but a short distance away.

Beaten by love for a woman and her betrayal of his love for her had left him heartbroken and soulless. He felt he was surely at deaths door knocking at heavens gate or more likely hells burning pit considering all the sins he had committed. Yes, he would be in hell soon. No man could continue to live with this much pain. Death would be a welcome release for his tortured and twisted soul.

This was the state of the man that dropped tiredly on the doorstep of the one person he considered his dearest friend other than Madame Giry. If a monster could claim friendship Nadir Kahn was his one true friend. Nadir Kahn the person who knew him even better than he knew himself. The only other person he trusted with his true name and his very life.

Nadir Kahn had been in his life since his time in Persia as an assassin for the Shah and his demented mother. Those two people had contributed to the loss of a large piece of his soul and brought forth the deepest and darkest corners of his mind to create devices for torture and death. As a young man of eighteen he had left the safety of the opera house to travel the world. He had secured a position as an architect on the presentation of drawings alone. He hired a man as his agent to present his proposals for upcoming building projects. The young man had told the owner of the firm he was a recluse. His face had been badly scarred in a fire in his home as a child and did not like to appear in public.

Knowing a man of the caliber of this unknown architect could go to another competitor and gain a position the young reclusive man had been hired sight unseen. That had lasted for almost a year until clients demanded to see who designed the homes they would occupy. A man who hid from society may well have evil intentions. Illegal acts could well be hidden by his anonymity. That life had been disgarded without a backward glance.

Russia had been the next stop in his travels. For a time he performed as a magician who sang to entertain with his angelic voice as he performed his magic. His mask seemed part of his act so raised few questions. His mind was always seeking further knowledge than what was immediately available around him. He had been in Russia performing and amazing crowds with his magic when life again changed for the young traveler.

When Nadir Kahn had come to offer him the position as an advisor and architect for the Shah of Persia he eagerly accepted. He would design and supervise the building of a new palace and design different projects to dispose of criminals. Erik had been eager to explore his fascination for death and ways to bring it about. His interest was in the invention not the use of these devices. A talent he excelled in and drew the attention of the Shah's mother.

A more twisted soul could not be found beyond the fires of hell. She was a true life monster. A soul so twisted it even rivaled Erik's own tortured soul even at the height of his madness. Her penchant for blood had lured Erik to the point where he was almost lost forever. His hatred for humans and their cruelties had fed his rage for a time. He lost himself in the glory of taking even a minute portion of revenge on the humanity that had shunned and ridiculed him his whole life.

For a time it mattered not that the souls his devices put to death had no baring on how he had been treated in the past. What drove him was having his moment to know that in their last moments before death they begged his pardon and he allowed their demise without compunction. The defining moment and changing of his satisfaction to guilt had been when he learned that women and children had been put to death for no other reason than the evil demon woman took pleasure in the bloodletting. No true crime need be committed. The Khanum said you were guilty and that made it so. No trial and no defense. Just the sentence of death.

Never had Erik taken his rage and anger out on the weaker beings of his species. He revered women even though his experience with his mother and other female encounters had left him feeling less than a man and more the monster and demon as he had been told he was since he was a small child. Some ingrained integrity and goodness would not allow him to harm a child or a woman. He could show indifference to their passing but not aid in the ending of their lives.

Erik's conscience would not allow for the slaughter of innocent women and children. The putting to death of a woman guilty of a crime caused him a moment of silent regret but the total disregard of guilt or innocence of those being put to death daily had taken his soul into a dark realm he feared he could not escape. Nightmares began to plague him and nearly taken his sanity from him.

To be put to death for a crime was one thing but to die for someone's sick twisted pleasure was quit another. When the true use of his devises came to light Erik could not stand idly by and let it continue. He dismantled the mechanisms that made his devices work and refused to reassemble them.

So the beginning of the end of his life in Persia had started. With the help of Nadir Khan he had escaped Persia barely with his life but with a little of the treasures of the palace traveling with him. The bags of diamonds, gold coins and other precious jewels he considered ample compensation for his services. Yes, a few sacks of wealth in exchange for the abrupt loss of employment and home. To Erik it had seemed a fair exchange. The Shah and Khanum had not agreed. They could not make Erik pay so they chose to make his accomplice pay. Nadir had spent three years imprisoned by the rulers of Persia.

Escape had not been an easy task. Erik had suffered much torture and merciless beatings at the hand of the Shah's mother before an escape could be planned and implemented. That woman's darkness made Erik seem like a ray of light. Erik would never admit openly but he was somewhat frightened by the woman. He never showed his fear in her presence. A glimpse of fear in Erik's eyes would have been the end as that evil woman would have fed on his fear and used it to control him. Such a beautiful woman on the exterior but so horrendously ugly on the inside. This was the woman who had set her sights on Erik the moment she set eyes on him as he entered the palace. Her lust for blood was only equaled by her lust to have Erik in her bed and under her complete control.

Having known he would not hold favor with the rulers for long he had set in motion ways to secure wealth that could be quickly gathered in case of a hasty need for flight. This forethought had allowed him to escape Persia with more wealth than one man could hope to spend in a lifetime. Erik considered it a fair recompense for the Shah and his mother's misuse of his talents. Nadir helped him then and he would help him now.

The man at Nadir's door was fearfully known as The Phantom of the Opera or The Opera Ghost. A specter alive but still a ghostly visage. He had haunted The Paris Opera House for over twenty years. A trickster let loose among superstitious volatile performers he had let his imagination have free reign.

Having a mother who could not even stand to touch her infant son to feed him caused a deep hurt and pain in him. A pain he thought never to heal. Her gift of the damn mask when he was but only an hour old became more than a way to hide his hideous face. It was a shield against those who would hurt him. With his mask he felt stronger. His mother could never understand how she could have a child that looked like he was part demon and part angel. His ability to learn quickly and his musical skills convinced her she had bore a child touched by Satan. Never once did it cross her feeble brain that her son could be a God given gift to the world with his talents for music and song.

Longing to rid herself of her burden but having religious convictions to prevent her ending his life she eventually salved her conscience by letting Gypsies take him with the promise of a better life among those willing to accept oddities in their mist. How the woman could have deluded herself had always mystified Erik. As a small boy he had been a piece of property the gypsies had placed on display in their sideshow as a horror from hell. He was The Devil's Child. The Living Corpse. The title varied from time to time. The only thing that stayed the same was the cruelty.

Those hated names his mother would have agreed fitting as she considered him a demon born as a curse for some sin she had committed. That woman had never been able to look at her son with anything other than fear and disgust. She had been all to eager to accept the few coins in her hand from Jacques, the Gypsy king in exchange for her small seven year old son. The cloth sack had drawn curious looks as the caravan passed. The oddity of his looks catching Jacques eye as their wagons had driven by the yard he was playing in on that hot summer day. One of the last peaceful and carefree moments Erik would have for many years. One of the few times he had been allowed to leave his dark basement bedroom. An unexpected treat that led to tragedy for the small disfigured boy. With a few coins passing from one hand to another he went from purgatory to hell in a few short minutes.

The exchange of those few paltry coins of ill-gotten gain led to the next five years of torture for the little boy. Five years of gawking, horrified, and leering faces. Five years of near starvation for the body and complete starvation for the soul of the youngster who was caged and beaten and treated as little more than an animal No, that comparison was unfair for the animals were treated far better than the poor creature they caged and gave so little care. No, he was not like an animal. He was regarded as less than those beasts of burden and exotic wonder. He was a monster housed in the body of flesh and bone and sinew.

The one comfort of this pitiful creature was a figure of a monkey he had fashioned from bits and pieces he found left by the crowds of onlookers that visited his cage to stare and torment. He drew solace from this lifeless piece of discarded garbage. A comfort to a lost soul who had no love and comfort from any living human source because even as he entered the world he was destined for loneliness and heartbreak. To others it would seem to be nothing more than a crudely fashioned attempt to make a toy but to the boy if was a friend that he drew strength and solace in the hours after each night of display and beatings. To him it was a friend to give hope in his hopeless situation. A friend to tell his hopes and dreams to that he had long ago given up achieving only a small flicker remaining in his desolate existence.

At the age of ten he had been driven to fight back one night by a particularly vicious attack. The young boy's anger finally could be contained no longer. A hate and rage so strong it gripped him in an unrelenting fury and fueled his mind to seek one thing and one thing only. Escape. Escape from his cage. Escape from his torture.

As his cruel tormentor stood outside his cage greedily picking up the coins tossed at the small heap of humanity the boy had put his small arms through the cage and given strength in his anger he had killed the man in a strangle hold fueled by years of anger that built up to that one moment that pushed a young soul beyond endurance to the point of taking a life. The surge of power in that moment of pure hate gave the small boy strength beyond what his small frame should possess. The boy had no remorse. No guilt in the taking of a life. Until his anger cooled and the red haze of a murderous rage had left him he stood and looked at the still dead form of his tormentor. No thoughts expressed by a change in his facial features. No emotion showed on his face at all. The eyes void of all emotion. An empty vessel. A body without benefit of a soul.

If not for the pity of a young ballerina who had attended his humiliation on this night he would have been hung for his crime. The young ballerina, Antoinette LaSalle, had been at the fair with other ballerinas from the opera house looking for entertainment and fun. Instead what she found was a little boy only a few years younger than herself caged like an animal being beaten worse than any animal she had ever seen. His reluctance to remove his mask had brought the old Gypsy's cane down on the boys back in vicious flesh tearing blows. Each strike of the cane upon the boys back had made her young girl's heart cringe in pain as if the blows hit her own flesh.

The removal of his mask and the jeers from the men and horrified screams of the women and children in the unfeeling crowd had seemed to take what little life the small crouching figure had left. His dirty little body lay in the filth beneath him on the cage floor not moving. The only sign of life the fast rise and fall of his too thin chest. He lay in misery with his dark green eyes looking into her eyes begging for a mercy Antoinette at sixteen had no idea how to give as much as she wanted to. She had stayed long after the others left looking on in pity as the trembling and bleeding boy lay and knew he prayed for death. To her shame she gave her own prayer for his quick end. Better a quick death than this death little by little.

She watched as he crept up behind the man counting the coins that had been tossed at the boy in the cage and greedily gathered by the man more caring of the coins than the boy he beat nearly unconscious to please a crowd of ignorant humanity. She could have given warning but something had held her tongue and she watched in silent horror as events played out in front of her innocent eyes.

Having taken the man's life the boy after a time of silent comtemplation fell to the ground clutching his only friend a toy of some sort to his bony chest. The empty look in his eyes gave way to fear. The despair in his eyes and the pleading for one scrap of human kindness guided her young heart that fated night and held her tongue in silence as she witnessed this sin.

Hearing voices and the sound of men approaching she had searched the man's pockets for and found a key that released the boy from his prison. She had led him through the dark deserted streets of Paris and hid him in the cellars of the opera house.

After that night she lost a small portion of her innocence. A small dark stain was on her soul but she had in all the years of her life never regretted those moments of guilty silence. Given the chance to go back and change it all she would not choose a different path. Even after Erik's insanity and his destruction of the only home and employment of hundreds of people she considered it a fair exchange. A world with Erik in it was a far better world than one without his genius and music.

No, not for one moment had she held any regret over saving and releasing him. Her regret had always been that she could not get Erik to except he had more to offer than the small disfigurement that covered such a small portion of his body. Given the beauty of his voice and body he was more attractive than most men she knew. With his gift for composition and verse he could make an impact on the world for the better. That was until she had brought Christine into his small world.

That night of his first murder was the start of the boy's new life. A life lived five cellars down underneath the opera house. This was where his love for music was born and his seductive and hypnotic voice came into maturity.

He became a ghost. Not quite seen but heard and most assuredly felt. The Phantom of the Opera or Opera Ghost. Too many names had been his title over the intervening years. Non labeled him a man. A part of the human race but still held apart from it. He was an apparition not a man. Or so he led the occupants of the establishment to believe.

So easily they believed this face to belong to the devil. In this manner they excused their intolerant attitude and lack of care for a fellow being. If he were a monster or possessed of evil the treatment he received they considered just. If they would but ask two questions they may have seen things differently. Who was the monster in this drama? The small frightened creature that had no defense against those horrible blows or the so called children of God who stood by and watched as ill treatment was dispatched for entertainment?

As he grew up he composed musical scores and original operas. The music was balm to his ravaged soul. He demanded they be performed. Singers and dancers were to be given parts as he saw fit. At first they guffawed at his audacity. This must be a prankster. Some practical joke taken to the extreme. The notes with the demands were discarded as so much rubbish. Soon they learned to take a more serious look at this ghost of their opera house. The accidents and near deaths brought them to their knees and quickly they saw the sense in capitulation.

They did not perform his operas for they could not have an unknown gracing their beautiful theatre but they decided to heed his advice somewhat on the running of the opera house itself. He made the demand for twenty thousand francs a month be paid as his salary. The money was to be left by Madame Giry in box five who even through her short marriage and birth of her child had remained a source of a tenuous friendship to this ghostly visage.

The young ballerina who once took pity on a poor caged child of the devil had grown up and married and had had a child of her own. A little girl named Margarite or Meg as she later became as Margarite seemed to large a name for such a tiny fragile girl. Antoinette Giry became the ballet mistress of the opera house after an accident prevented her from dancing again. Her husband's death had left Antoinette free to spend more time with the ghost and for him the passing of her loved one was a blessing. Did he feel sorrow for her loss? Not much. He could only grasp that it was to his advantage as it allowed his friend more time to spend with him.

Life had gone on and Erik had terrorized the opera residents and got his way in the running of the opera by force and threats. This ghost wielded so much power over all the opera house. Life would have continued in this fashion if not for the arrival a little girl. A girl so grief stricken by the loss of her father she readily believed the voice from the walls and behind her mirror speaking to her was the Angel of Music her father had promised her. Alas it was only Erik trying for once to comfort a human. Her cries had touched his cold heart as no other had. Erik did not consider himself to be in the same category as others. How could he be with half angel and half demon marring his face? He had been told all his life he was a demon so who was he to dispute such statements? One look in a mirror gave strength to the harsh words condemning him to solitude and loneliness.

The entrance of that little girl with the chocolate colored hair and her warm sad brown eyes was the beginning of the end for Erik nay I should say the end of The Phantom of the Opera. With her coming a foul wind blew through the corridors of the opera house and brought devastating changes for all who lived there. The road to destruction took ten long years to come to the final death blow to the lives of all connected in his sad tale. The harbinger of doom had a name and her name was Christine Daae.

Even as a grieving child she had captivated the lonely young man Erik had been. As he matured and Christine did as well he went from wanting to teach her voice to soar with the angels to wanting to share the delights of flesh to flesh that other men took for granted. His association with Christine was doomed even before Erik had any interest other than as a tutor. Christine was not a strong person and had a weak character. She needed constant reassurance and attention. Erik's very passion that promised his devotion into eternity was too overpowering for Christine. She wanted a gentler passion. Her childhood sweetheart was the one she chose not the poor demented fool who promised her the world and a life of passion and devoted love.

At first Erik only gave comfort to a small child by letting her believe the voice that reached out in the darkness to chase away the loneliness was the angel her dead father had promised her on his death bed would come in her time of sorrow. The Angel of Music.

He had invested so much of his passion in this one little vessel of humanity. Ten years he had watched her grow to a beautiful woman. A woman who stole his heart from his very chest and stilled the very breath in his lungs. He taught her to send her voice to the very heavens to compete with the angels. How could he do anything other than fall in love with this innocent beauty? A heart that had been black and cold now beat with the warmth of love. He had been so sure of her. After giving her his very soul and she embraced his talents and shared his precious music she had to return his love. Young at only seventeen to his thirty he thought their music and song would bridge any gape. His love for her would make any age difference insignificant.

He should have known. Fate had never rewarded him with anything but sorrow and pain why should he believe this angel could have been his? This light in his world of darkness would shy away from him. He should have protected his heart but in his foolish quest to have what other men have he had left himself open and unguarded. She had ripped apart what was left of his soul and left him an empty shell. Music could not fill the deep hole Christine left in his chest where his heart should have been beating a rhythm to match his music. Nothing could ever fill that void.

That boy had come to spoil his dream. Her dear friend from her childhood the Vicomte Raoul de Chagny. Oh, what bitterness that name brought to his mind. To speak it was like poison dripping from his tongue. That horrible noble young blueblood had taken Christine's young heart and allegiance with little effort. Erik had witnessed their declaration of love on the rooftop of the opera house and set in motion events that led to the loss of life and the destruction of the opera house and the lives of all who lived and worked within it's walls.

In his black jealous rage all sane thoughts fled his mind. His insanity reached a level that no one could make him see the impossibility of what he wanted so badly. Her heart had been won as soon as she saw the young vicomte again. Erik's one thought was to get her to come and be his wife. Foolish impossible delusions of a man made mad with unrequited love. He had cut the cord on the chandelier he had rigged to fall as a precaution bringing it down in a blaze of glory on the heads of all the fools who had come to see his masterpiece he had forced them to perform. His first and only opera to be viewed by an audience. Don Juan Triumphant. No triumph had been his. Only failure graced his actions. He had thought it ingenious to replace Piangi with himself and declare his love to Christine during the performance. In his arrogance and lust for this little angel he had not counted on her betrayal. In front of those prying eyes she had removed his mask and exposed his vulnerable well kept secret. The one thing that could bring him to his knees. Revealing his face to the world. The shame and sorrow of his life. The awfulness of his monstrous face.

His anger had driven him to unspeakable actions. All the plotting and planning and he had been undone by the touch of her innocent sweet lips. Two intensely sensual and persuasive touches of her honeyed lips and he had fallen apart. Caved as only a man who has never known that soft salutation. He had crumbled before her and let her and that damnable boy go. Released them to go and leave him in his misery.

He had known it would be only a matter of time and his heart would kill him for surely no one could live forever with this strangling crushing pain in their chest. It stole the very breath from his lungs. He had flirted with the temptation to allow the angry mob of theatre patrons and gendarmes to find him in his lair but his pride would not allow them to display his horrible self for all to see. He would slink off and die alone as it was meant to be. He had rushed toward this day since he first drew breath and longed for it all the days in his mothers hate filled care. His life had been one long waiting period for his eventual demise. Thirty years awaiting his eventual death and relief from the agony of his existence in a world that did not want him or any part of him. Not his angelic voice and certainly not his heavenly music.

So that is how he found himself here lying spent on the bare boards of Nadir's doorstep. Dying of love with his heart in seemingly irreparable pieces somewhere in the hands of the young diva who fled with her lover a few hours ago leaving her Angle of Music in hell.

The one being in all the world he knew who would allow him to die in peace and dignity lived behind that closed door. He would allow him to rid the world of his unwanted personage. Nadir would understand and allow him this mercy.

The trembling hand barely had enough strength to knock feebly upon the door. Two strikes upon the door then the weakness overtook the man leaving him spent near death.

Perhaps he had some of those Persian potions that would send a man into a darkness from which he never returned. That was Erik's last coherent thought as he passed out and lay flat on his back with his face exposed in a way that would enrage him at any other time. Now in the moment of his greatest torment he could care less. He welcomed the darkness of oblivion for it offered a respite from the world of such cruelty toward a beast broken and humiliated by a lover's cruel rejection.

The pitiful man lay in a drenched heap shivering from an unnatural coldness and fever induced chills. His breaths seeming to come in labored gasps. His chest rattling in a disturbing rhythm. This was the condition of the man when the door opened. The Phantom of the Opera. Opera Ghost. His human name was simply Erik. Erik's guardian would offer assistance.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two **

**Healing Wounds and Healing Heart**

Darius was just going to retire for the night when he thought he heard a knock upon the door. Noting the time he knew it would not be welcome news. Nothing good came with a knock at two in the morning. He would have been in bed hours ago if not for the nagging feeling that he was needed and should be prepared to help. To calm his nerves he had baked bread and homemade pastries. He had just finished cleaning. He was on his way to bed having decided his intuition was wrong when he heard the faint knock. If he had been in bed he would not have heard such a feeble knock.

Darius cautiously went to the door. He pressed his ear to the door but heard not one sound. He had a feeling that whatever was behind the door had something to do with Master Erik. He had dreamed of him last night. It had been a most disturbing dream. It had involved fire and death. Darius opened the door and saw the man lying unconscious, wet, and shivering at his feet. One look at the figure lying in a heap on his master's front step and his heart contracted in sympathy and despair.

_**Master Kahn and I knew this day would come. The stubborn fool would not listen to any warning from either of us. **__**Master Khan and I have prayed so hard for your tortured soul. Master Erik why would you not heed or warnings. Hr love was not for you. We warned you many times. It seems as if all our warnings have been in vain. Allah forgive whatever you have done Master Erik. **_

He stepped out to pick up the man and his eyes were drawn to the blaze of light coming from the direction of the opera house. The night sky was alight as if a thousand candles burned. Bending down he put his right arm under Erik and lifted him up. As soon as he was standing Darius put his arm around Erik's back then placed Erik's left arm over his shoulder. Half dragging half carrying Erik, Darius took Erik inside closing the door with his foot. Erik slumped down having lost consciousness.

Heaving a deep sigh Darius picked up Erik as if he weighed no more than a child. Darius was a big man standing over six foot six with solid muscles from all the physical training he performed everyday. He had the philosophy that a healthy body made a healthy mind. He was a man of muscle and bone. Not a man one would say unguarded words to without fear of pain raining down from those ham like fists. No one suspected and Darius made sure no one found out but his heart was as soft as mush toward anyone in pain or need of human kindness.

He helped Erik to the settee and set him down. Standing up he shook his head in sorrow. Poor Master Erik. What torture in your soul has lead you to do something that is surely going to be your end? It had to involve that vixen soprano Christine Daae that had ensnared his heart. Foolish man. She wasn't a bad person she was just extremely bad for Erik. How could he think someone so innocent and fickle of heart could love and sustain a man of his passionate nature? She would have wilted during one of his passionate tirades. Poor Erik was so desperate for normalcy he grabbed at the first thing that caught his eye that his desperate need convinced him she was what he wanted and needed.

She was much too weak a personality for Erik. Even at the age of nineteen she still had much of a little girl in her. She would have withered and died in his permanent presence. She needed a much softer soul. Not one as twisted and dark as Erik's. Darius had seen the future and it did include a woman for Erik. He hadn't seen her visage but she was there beside him and they were embracing. Master Nadir knew of his visions and had always heeded his warnings and advice. Erik was not so easily led. He had always balked at things he could not see. This personality trait and the gift of his face from some deity he could not see had made him skeptical any god existed in any form.

Darius left Erik and went to wake his master. Once again they would have to nurse Erik and help aid in his recovery. He hoped it ended better than the fiasco in Persia that had ended with his master spending five years in a Persian prison.

Darius knocked on the door and waited for the permission to enter. Not wasting time on preliminaries he stated, "Master Erik is in the parlor and he seems to be quite upset and not himself. The skyline over the opera house is lit by a burning fire. I surmise it is the result of something Master Erik has done." Nadir cursed fluently in Persian. _**Damn Erik. I knew it would end in disaster when he first took notice of that young little temptress. I knew no good would come of it. Erik is much too passionate for the likes of Christine. Christine is much too timid and clinging. Her loses so young in life made her an insecure young woman. I warned him repeatedly she would shy from him. He needs a much stronger woman. One who will stand up to him and not let him have everything his own way. Erik is at times too impulsive and needs someone who can restrain him from doing things inappropriate by social standards. He thinks because I discouraged his association with Christine I didn't think him entitled or disserving of love from anyone. This is not true. Erik needs love more than anyone I have ever known. As for deserving love who among us truly gets what we deserve in this life? **_

"How does he look? Spare me full details. Just tell me how near death he is."

"He is not well Master. I fear he has given into the darkness of his soul. I fear he has lost the will or inclination to continue on this plane of existence."

"Go to him and give what comfort you can. I fear it will be a long night. Please make a strong Egyptian coffee. Tea I fear will not suffice on this occasion. Get the extra blankets then start a thin chicken broth. He will need nourishment as well as the warmth of the broth. I'll be right out Darius. Take care of him as best you can until I freshen up and then I'll be right out."

Darius folded his hands together and bowed out of the room. A smile was hidden as he bowed. He knew Nadir hated it when he acted subservient to him. They had many discussions on just this subject when they weren't trying to save the world from Erik and Erik from himself. He so loved to irritate his master. He couldn't help thinking of the man he worked for as master at times but he knew him to be a good friend also.

They had been through many hard times together. Darius had only been a young boy of twelve when he had gone to be a houseboy for Nadir and his wife. He had been a companion for Nadir's son Riza as well. Darius had worked for Nadir for wenty years. Most of his life had been dedicated to the service of Nadir's family then at the passing of his wife and then his son, Darius became Nadir's personal valet. More friend than employee after so many years. He had recently turned thirty -two. He thought of leaving some day to start a family of his own. The need had not called to him strongly yet. When it did he would leave Nadir with his blessings.

Nadir started to remind Darius he was not to behave as a slave. Respect was one thing but subservience was another. They had been rehashing this same argument ever since coming to Paris ten years ago. If Nadir hadn't convinced him in all that time that Darius was more friend than servant what made him think he could change the man now? Besides he had more serious matters to attend to. Namely poor Erik. A man who would send Nadir to an early grave and a man he secretly considered like a brother. Erik was only six years younger than Nadir although at times Nadir felt more like a father than a brother or friend. Erik's life had left him with a somewhat naïve idea of life. He was an adult who at times seemed like a child in his naivety. A naivety that warred with his adult emotions. His childlike pleasure at the simple pleasures had always fascinated Nadir. Something as simple as a butterfly in flight brought him hours of enjoyment and wonder. He would speak of this wonder until another was presented to him. In his dark home he had very few wondrous things other than his music and the songs of the operas he listened to whenever one was being performed. Rarely did he leave his home in daylight. Only on a few occasions had Nadir persuaded him to leave the dark safety of the catacombs.

Nadir would never let Erik see his regard beyond that of friend because Erik had a hard time even accepting his friendship. He considered himself not worthy of anyone's love or kind regard. The past few years leading to his final plunge into madness had only strengthened his belief. This last fiasco to find love would most certainly drag his spirit closer to a living hell. A hell Nadir hoped he could save his friend from descending into permanently. Many times Erik had come close to giving in and engulfing himself in the dark side of his nature almost obliterating any human kindness or caring he might possess. In the last moments before he gave into the darkness entirely he would pull himself back. If Allah willed it he would survive once more.

_**Allah above what has your foolish heart made you do now Erik? I should have known something was amiss when you made me promise not to attend the opera tonight even though it was the opening of your own work. Erik had been so quiet over these past few months I had foolishly thought he finally had come to accept Christine was not for him. Why did I not realize this quiet was the signal he had descended into madness? **_

Although with Erik it is hard to tell madness from genius. His brain worked in a different way than a normal man. His intelligence was beyond comprehension. Any morals he had were from his own sense of right and wrong. Erik had never had adults to guide him into manhood. He had more or less raised himself. A true crime against all that was blessed in this world. With only a little love and compassion at an early age Erik could have been a great gift to this world.

Abruptly halting his musings Nadir forced his tired body from the bed and went into his bathroom to freshen up and dress so he could face this new life changing drama that was Erik's life. Nothing in Erik's life was simple. Everything that happened was on a grand scale. Nadir knew from the moment he had accepted responsibility for Erik his burden would be great. Keeping Erik from the world and the world from Erik was a lifetime occupation. Whatever new dilemma Erik presented Nadir felt it was his obligation to see if he could set things right. It had been his job for over ten years now to watch over Erik.

Having freshened up and dressed Nadir went out to face this new problem in his life. handle Erik. _**When would they both find peace? Damn but he was getting too old to for this. I feel ancient. I am only Thirty-eight but I feel as if I have lived a hundred years since I have known Erik.**_

Hearing footsteps the broken man raised his ravaged face toward Nadir. The utter hopelessness tugged at Nadir's heart. This is what has become of a once supremely proud man. He has been reduced to tears and complete devastation. Erik sat in abject misery sobbing uncontrollably. It seemed the very blood from his broken heart ebbed out in every tear leaving him weaker and deeper in despair.

"Why Nadir? Why could I not be allowed this one bit of happiness? Why should I always be denied love? Why could she not love me? I gave her my music. I taught her to make her voice soar. I would have given her the world for only a tiny bit of consideration. I would not even have made demands on her. I would not ask her to share my bed if she did not wish it. Her companionship and her heavenly voice singing for me alone would have been enough to sustain me. I would never have forced her to gaze upon my face. I would gladly wear the hated burlap sack I had as a child when on display with the Gypsies."

"Erik we have gone over this many times. You were blinded by her. Infatuated. Blinded in your need for someone, anyone to love and share your life with. She took all you could give then threw your love back in your face. I do not think she did this to hurt you. She just had a greater love and regard for her young vicomte. I do not mean to be harsh but the reality is she was selfish and childish. She is still an immature girl. Immaturity breeds selfishness. If she had been older and more mature maybe things could have been different. Who can say? Your face alone did not bring about your rejection."

"It was my face she could not stomach. It has always been this curse of a face since the day I was born. If my own mother could not love me or touch me why would someone such as my beautiful Christine even want to suffer a glimpse of the horrific mess hidden behind the mask? Why did God not see his mistake and strike me dead when he heard my first pitiful cry as I left my mother's womb? Why did my mother who hated the very sight of me not throw me into the river and drown me like some unwanted kitten or pup?"

"Erik is was not your face that drove the final wedge between you and the diva. Your temper and threats of violence to her fiancée drove her away from you even if there had been a slight chance of her returning your love. I do not think she withheld her love because of any of these reasons however. The wealth of the Vicomte is what won the young woman's allegiance in the end. She could not conceive of a life lived in the cellars in dark for the rest of her life. Of course she would choose a life with a young handsome and wealthy man. I warned you many times to keep your heart free of the entanglement you sought with such fervor. It was bound to end this way my friend as much as it pains me to say this to you. You are well rid of her."

"Do not say such harsh things about her. She was perfect. It is I who am flawed. I am the freak of nature. The mistake God did not correct. I should not have expected her to want to be with a monster like me. Why would someone of such beauty want someone so beastly? Why could my story not end as the love stories recanted in words and penned over the centuries? Why could not this lonely, ugly beast be loved despite his temper and his horrid countenance? Take back what you say of my beloved. Speak not of her in such untruths."

With and anguished cry Erik lunged at Nadir and wrapped his hands around his throat. The look of a madman was on Erik's face. Nadir could feel the blackness overtaking him. He clawed at the hands gripping him so tightly. Erik was inhumanly strong even without anger fueling him. Add anger and Erik was an almost unstoppable man. Nadir knew if Darius did not return to the room within the next minute his life would cease to be. Another victim falling to the hands of the Angel of Death. In his right mind Erik would never think of laying a hand on Nadir in anger. The fever in his mind was clouding his judgment. His anguish stole his reason. Loss fueled a need to hold onto at least the belief that Christine could still return to him.

Mercifully Darius returned and dragged a half crazed Erik away from his master and friend. Erik was a strong man and few could win in a physical battle with him but Darius was the stronger of the two. He held tightly to the struggling man in his arms. Erik was growling like a wild animal. Cursing as he never would in normal circumstances. Erik was, if nothing else, a true gentleman normally. With impeccable manners.

He hardly seemed human in those moments when his anger and hurt of all the years rushed to take over his mind. The years of abuse and rejection all came to the forefront of his mind. Bringing death to someone he perceived as an abuser had been his one goal as his hands had tightened around Nadir's face. All the faces of the Gypsy tormentors from his years in their captivity swirled and mixed with the pain he felt from Christine's rejection. Raoul's perfect face flashed into his mind. He could see the taunting in the nobleman's face as he took Christine away with him. He imagined the young man sneering at him as he kissed Christine's sweet lips. His mind tortured him with so many images. Some from his childhood others from many years ago and some from recent days. Those cut the deepest because they were fresh and inflicted by his beloved.

A few moments of struggling and Erik began to tire and reason returned. His shame of attacking his one true ally and friend for over ten years eating away at his diminished pride. God what had she driven him too? He had risked all for her. His home and his very life. The only home he had known since he was a young boy. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Now he attacked his dear friend in his own home because he spoke truths Erik did not wish to hear.

"You can release me Darius. The madness has left me. The Phantom is gone and only Erik remains. Only poor pathetic, heartbroken Erik is here." Darius slowly released Erik's arms and stepped back. He stood directly behind him however in case this was a trick. Erik was well known for his trickery.

The man broke into uncontrolled sobbing again and fell to his knees rocking his body back and forth cradling his arms with his own hands calling for the devil woman Christine. Such anguish and despair could be heard in each word. Darius cursed the day that woman entered Erik's life. Her presence in what had been a peaceful existence had been like a slow building storm on the ocean. You knew destruction was coming but you did not know how bad or how violent the final raging winds would be or when they would strike. You can prepare yourself for the eventual coming storm but not even precautions could prevent all of the eventual devastation.

Rubbing his neck Nadir could not bring himself to hold Erik accountable just yet for his actions. The man had suffered a severe blow. A blow to his heart and pride that Nadir was unsure Erik could make a recovery this time. Erik's whole life was molded from old hurts and rejections. A more miserable soul Nadir had never known. Erik was truly a man who had been damned in the eyes of the world since his birth. If there was a hell on earth Erik held pride of place in that dark, evil realm. Proud on the outside but as insecure as a child on the inside, that was the Erik Nadir saw. His insecurities were buried deep beneath self protecting layers of uncaring indifference to man's every day struggles. If you did not care for anything you had nothing to lose.

Nadir knew of the darker side of Erik but he had never been personally on the receiving end of his darker persona until tonight. Nadir spent so much time with Erik that he had caught glimpses of the weaker man hidden under the threatening Phantom persona. A weakness Erik worked hard to keep from the world.

Erik's condition shocked Nadir greatly. Once a strong proud man behind his mask he was now a whimpering bundle of flesh and raw emotions. His bare face was mottled with tracks of tears raining down his cheeks. The lesions on his face were oozing with infection. The constant rubbing on his face of the leather combined with sweat irritated the skin that rarely went without cover.

Erik seemed not to notice or care he did not have his mask. That was an indication of how upset Erik was for he was a proud man who stood tall and regal when hiding behind his mask. He never went without it. He had even told Nadir that more often than not he slept with the mask firmly on his face. The sobs coming from this once fierce man broke Nadir's heart. No one should suffer so.

Not knowing what to do he helped a passive Erik to the guest bedroom and helped him to lie down. He removed Erik's shoes after gently laying him down. Nadir then pulled up a chair to sit in vigil until Erik was more himself. He did not trust Erik in this pain wracked state not to hurt himself. He had spoke of his demise often enough for Nadir to know it was possible he would attempt to rid himself of pain by taking his own life. The man slept in a coffin for the love of Allah. The reminder of death was with him every night as he closed his eyes to sleep. Nadir had often told him it was much too morbid and he should rid himself of it and sleep in a normal bed. Erik had replied that when he was normal he would sleep in a normal bed.

So the waiting began. Days came and went with Erik in a near catatonic state. Only crying out from nightmares and seeking his beloved Christine in dreams. Nadir began to fear for his friend. Something would have to be done soon or Erik would waste away from lack of food and water. It was not his broken heart that would kill Erik directly but the result would be the same.

One the third day there was a little change. Nothing earth shattering but a sign that there was still a will to live in Erik. He asked for a glass of water. Immediately Nadir sent Darius to bring a glass of cool water laced with some medicine meant to stimulate Erik's body. Having downed the water Nadir and Darius watched and waited.

Late in the evening of the fourth day Erik asked for some food. Nadir and Darius gave thanks to a merciful Allah and all other deities for the return of Erik. Most would wonder why this simple request gave them such hope. The fact that he asked for food was proof of his will to come back to a living world. Erik rarely ate at all. He claimed the time he spent sitting eating was time taken away from more important matters. He rarely ate and never a big meal. A small ray of hope was given to them that day as they stood vigil over the desperate man in the bed fighting demons real and imagine

A week later the paper arrived with devastating news for Erik. Nadir and Darius had tried to keep it away from him but the sneaky devil went through Nadir's trash receptacle in his room. After reading the headlines regaling all of Paris with the details of the marriage of Christine and Raoul Erik dosed himself with the dreaded morphine he took in times of deep depression. That was a set back. The drug ravaged his weakened body even further. It gave him no real peace. It only brought his demons into the light.

For such an intelligent man Erik was completely blinded to the devastation morphine created in his life. That was one issue they fought over consistently. Erik had given up the drug for years and then Christine entered his life. It was Nadir's opinion the young woman was a walking curse. She would destroy all who came into her sphere of power. Erik and then Raoul had been two such unfortunate beings. Allah only knew what she would do to that innocent young man.

Erik had balked but Nadir had demanded all the morphine in Erik's possession be handed over. Erik gave in knowing with Nadir's skills as a policeman he had no chance to lie or hide anything from the nosy Nadir once his bloodhound of a nose was set on the trail. He had been informed if he snuck out again to purchase any more he would have Darius tie him to the bedpost. Eyeing Darius thoughtfully he made the decision not to push his luck as even when in his prime of good health he doubted he could best Darius. The man was not human in Erik's opinion. He was a giant masquerading as a man.

Erik knew he could acquire more any time he wished. He could leave the apartment and neither of the other occupants would ever know he had left his room. He would need a supply until he could find a source in London to provide that elixir that sent him into heavenly oblivion for a short time. At times it also sent him to hell but those times were fewer than heavens open gate.

Two weeks spent recovering and Erik concluded as much as he had felt he would die he knew now it would not happen unless he aided the process. He was not such a coward as to take his own life at any rate not consciously. He flirted with letting another take it when the mob had infiltrated his home but could not face the further humiliation that would have fallen on him as the men were sure to put him on display for all of Paris to see. Later he thought his illness might claim his life and release him but so far fate had seen fit to keep him here in his pathetic life.

One evening as Nadir and Erik play one of their one of their weekly games of chess, Erik came to a momentous conclusion. He was to live after all. He had been in this bed so long but he had not taken notice of one day from another. He had no idea how long he had lain in this bed a pitiful mass of quivering and blubbering humanity.

Having beaten Nadir for the fifth time in a row Erik picked up a chess piece and fingered it thoughtfully. Reaching a conclusion he informed Nadir, "It would seem my heart will not give out just yet Nadir. Perhaps this is God's punishment. I shall live with this pain until I die. Or perhaps God has seen fit to grant me immortality so I may live eternally with this pain."

"Erik you are special but I hardly think your God would grant you immortality. Erik it is good to see you are feeling better. Get up and bathe. Join me in the land of the living. I hesitated to mention it before but you are smelling less than fresh. When you are done we will eat and discuss what your immediate future will hold. Allah forbid an earth forever blessed with your wickedness my friend. A normal life span is quite sufficient. Darius and I can only stand so much drama in our lives and neither one of us will live forever."

"Nadir I know it may not seem as if I appreciate you but I do appreciate your friendship and caring. I consider you a dear friend even though I have never expressed the sentiment. Just for a point of reference should you ever repeat that statement to anyone I should have to end your life."

Nadir smiled although he was not quite sure Erik was joking. Just to be safe he made a vow to keep this to himself. With Erik it paid to err on the side of caution.

The next few weeks the three men spent in deep discussion of how best to proceed with Erik's departure from France and choosing a destination. How to escape with body and fortune intact. The one option they all agreed on was bribery. They had to use great caution. Erik was a criminal. A reward had been posted for his capture. No doubt funded by the de Chagny family patriarch. Money could erase many sins and blind many eyes. Nadir and Darius made all the necessary arrangements. Erik would leave France an innocent man with no warrants or fear of arrest to haunt him. Files were lost and notes replaced with forged documents. Raoul de Changny and Christine Daae had left the city for parts unknown and when the family was asked to give their location for statements should a man be captured and a trial occur the authorities were told the couple had no information to give. They wished to put the whole incident behind them and drop the matter entirely. Nadir had spread a few rumors among the aristocracy to discourage the continued interest in Erik's arrest. Fearing more scandal Raoul's father let the matter drop, withdrawing his offer of a reward. Sometimes words whispered in the right ear were more powerful than the threat of violence or at least could bring about the same result.

It seems with all incriminating evidence "lost" and no willing witnesses, Erik was a free man. Free as man a could be when his heart was still held captive by a little chit of a girl. Now if he could remove that young woman from Erik's heart long enough for him to give this second chance at life an honest try Nadir would be forever thankful to Allah.

The only arrangement left to complete were choosing a name as he only remembered his first name. Never once could he remember hearing his surname. He was lucky to have heard his first name as every vile name known to man had been hurled at him all during his youth. His mother for damn sure had a fine repertoire of names she blessed him with daily. Luckily he knew his name was Erik and not monster child or demon seed. The gypsies had billed him in their sideshow as The Human Corpse and The Devil's Child. Privately he had been called the "fucking demon child". The Gypsy who owned him had favored that moniker above all others. Imagine being stuck with such a name all ones life. No he did not fancy that at all. Erik suited him just fine.

Nadir forced him to go to a barber as he claimed a gentleman should not look as if he used a knife to saw his hair. Knowing he cut his own hair with scissors Erik felt this was an insulting remark. He was not able to waltz into a barbershop as some others were aloud to do. He made sure Nadir heard his complaint. He was not happy with an outing in the daytime so Nadir made the concession to speak to the barber and for ample compensation he agreed to see Erik after fours.

Sitting in the chair with his arms crossed Erik gave a fair imitation of a child pouting. Nadir was tempted to offer him a lollipop if he was a good boy and let the man cut his hair without all the fuss. He decided in this mood Erik could well let his temper get the better of him and Nadir surmised today was not the day he wished to join his ancestors in the great beyond.

"Stop being childish. It does not hurt to have your hair cut. You are not Samson and Charles is not Delilah. Your strength will not be diminished with the loss of a few strands of hair."

"Spoken like a man with a full head of hair and not one who has a sparse covering. I warn you if I am not pleased you will feel my displeasure in a most disagreeable way."

"So noted. Now quit being a child and let the man do his job. Honestly sometimes I feel as if I am dealing with a truculent five year old instead of a man of thirty years of age."

Saying no more Erik sat in the barber's chair folding his arms across his chest. The pout of his lips and the obstinate look on his face did indeed look like a small child protesting something he found unpleasant.

"Monsieur is it alright now if I begin? I have an idea of how I can cut your hair to lay slightly differently than it does now. The hair can be cut in such a way that the sparse area will be hidden. Thankfully the hair on the left side is quite thick. The right side is not all that thin. There are only a few bare spots. I have many customers with balding heads. Luckily you have sufficient length for me to work with."

"God damn it I am not balding. I simply have a sparse covering of hair. It has always been like this sense birth so therefore I am not balding."

"Of course, of course Monsieur. I was obviously not speaking of you. With your permission I will begin." The man had begun to sweat profusely. He was wondering how he had gotten himself into such a mess. He had an idea who the man in the chair was and had no wish to be the next victim of the Opera Ghost. He stood waiting patiently. Erik made not one move to remove the wig. Charles was beginning to wish his greed had not overtaken the warning bells that had gone off when Monsieur Khan had asked if he could see a client privately after hours. He said the man was terribly shy around people he did not know.

"What the hell are you waiting for? I do not have all night to sit while you daydream. Get on with it."

"Erik your wig. Do you expect him to cut your hair through the wig?"

"Well why did he not say something? I do not bite. At least not on Wednesday's and as I am sure this is Thursday he is perfectly safe." Without anything further being said he removed his wig and Charles began to cut his hair. It seemed to Erik that an abundance of his hair was raining down all too swiftly. Being bored he thought he might use the barber's fear of him to entertain him while he was trapped in the chair.

"You know Nadir come to think of it I may have been wrong. I do believe today is Wednesday after all."

Charles stilled with the scissors poised to snip the next piece of hair. He glanced quickly at the calendar on the wall and to his consternation saw that it was indeed Wednesday. He swallowed noisily and snipped more than he should have. The gasps from the other three men alerted Erik to a problem. He looked into the mirror and saw the man's face was as white as a sheet. His eyes were flooded with fear.

Nadir saw the look on Erik's face and intervened on Charles' behalf. It would not do to leave a dead barber when they were so close to departing France. He spoke to Erik in Persian informing him it was his fault if a mistake had been made. It was just a tiny bit of hair and would grow back quickly. No one would really notice as it was on the back of his head. When he was out he wore a hat most of the time anyway. Nothing was broken that could not be fixed with time.

Erik learned a valuable lesson. When a man is that close to your head with sharp instruments it was prudent to make him feel as comfortable as one could make him. Nervous people made mistakes.

Now Erik would never admit this openly to Nadir but he was quite surprisingly pleased with what the man was able to do with his hair. He had had a few qualms about removing his wig but he could see the logic of it's removal so he had agreed although he let it be known he was far from pleased. Nadir's only comment was to him was to tell him to stop being childish yet again. That remark ruffled him somewhat but due to his patience with him during his illness Erik let it pass. It crossed his mind that another time he may well have wrapped his lasso around Nadir's neck for a remark such as that. Perhaps the Phantom died and only Erik lives. Time would tell.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Farewell to Paris and the Paris Opera House**

Erik returned to the opera house one time before he severed all ties with his past in the opera house. He would bid farewell to the once proud edifice. In the bowels of that grand building he had made his own world. It had not been reality down there in the dark but it had been his world. His alone. A creation solely from the images of his mind.

Walking up the steps it briefly crossed Erik's mind that this would be the first time he had ever entered the opera house through the front doors and climbed the steps from the auditorium floor. All these years he had longed to walk through those doors just as the patrons of the opera house did. He had longed to sit with others and enjoy the beauty of the performance without having to worry about discovery. It had been one of his dreams to sit in the audience and share with the person next to him his enjoyment of the performance or his criticism. All the years he had lived in The Paris Opera House he only communicated his joys or dipleasures through notes, never in person.

He struggled momentarily with the door. Finally it creaked open groaning in protest as he shoved it open with his shoulder. He opened it just enough to slip through. His eyes had no trouble adjusting to the lack of light. Darkness to him was much the same as light. He could see almost as well in pitch black as he could on the sunniest days.

Erik wanted to wail out in protest when he saw the damage to his opera house. He looked sadly upon the devastation he had caused. The once beautiful auditorium now looked forlorn. Odd distortions met Erik's eyes. Most of the seats were burned but oddly there were rows of perfectly preserved seats that looked as if they waited for the next performance to be occupied by an eager opera house patron. Many of the wonderful statues adorning the wall had been all but destroyed and were completely unrecognizable while just a few feet away three perfectly preserved statues hung on the wall in all their majestic splendor. The outer walls still stood firmly in the same position they had held since the building had been built. The roof had damage but looked as if most had been saved.

The stage was still there but the scorched boards gave evidence of the recent fire. The chandelier still lay in the middle of the row of seats where it fell. Glass from the chandelier's lamps cluttered the floor and made tinkling sounds as he stepped across the auditorium floor.

Erik hesitated at the stairs leading up to the stage. In all his years in the opera house he had never approached the stage from the auditorium. His mind raced with thoughts of his last night here. Memories of that night hit him in waves of sorrow and grief. All the pain returned. He closed his eyes willing the ache to go away. If he gave way now to his grief he would never leave this place again. It was past time to sever his ties if not his memories of this place. Inhaling deeply he walked up the steps and crossed to center stage. Memories of all the performances on this very stage haunted him. He welcomed them as well as feared them.

He allowed thoughts of that final night to enter his mind. He would allow himself this one memory and then get on with his business. All those feelings of that night rushed over him. Hope, love, anticipation, loss, grief and despair. So many emotions in such a short span of time. How easily a life could change in the span of a few hours.

Shaking off the useless remembrances he dropped down through one of the trap doors in the stage. Landing gracefully on his feet with slightly bent knees to cushion the impact he stood and began to walk down the corridor. Many twists and turns that would have the unsuspecting lost forever in the tunnels and caverns of the underbelly of the opera. Erik was at home here. He knew every brick and every crack. He had twenty years to become familiar with his underground home.

Coming to the lake he retrieved the spare boat he kept hidden in a secret compartment in one of the walls. His other one no doubt was left someplace outside his dark home at the end of a tunnel. Christine and Raoul would not be returning his boat.

He poled himself across the familiar waterway. Taking the correct path that lead to his home it only took a few minutes to arrive at his destination. Docking the boat at the edge of the landing to his home he nimbly hopped out. The sight that greeted him was no more than he expected. Almost everything was destroyed. His precious organ lay strewn across his lair in pieces. Christine's swan bed had been dismantled and pieces of it now resided in the water.

All the pictures of Christine had been torn down and scattered about his home. Not one piece of his elegant furniture remained intact. Fortunately for Erik he had hidden all his wealth in undetectable vaults behind the walls. Picking his way through the debris he quickly gathered his hidden wealth. He wanted to leave as soon as he finished. He had no wish to linger here where he had suffered so much. There were too many ghosts dwelling here.

The good memories he had of this once elegant home were overshadowed by the pain and humiliation suffered in one night. It took one night to destroy the life he had spent twenty years building. Relinquishing the hurtful remembrances he gathered his fortune and left all else as it lay on the floor giving silent testimony that the Phantom of the Opera dwelled here no longer. One last look in good-bye and Erik left his underground home and The Paris Opera House for the final time bidding farewell to The Opera Ghost. The Phantom of the Opera. Whether his spirit remained housed in the man known as Erik, time would tell the tale.

Nadir was quite pleased with how simple a few dollars crossing the palm of an official produced such satisfactory results. Even the documents forged for Erik's new name were acquired most efficiently. Erik was now "Erik Fontaine". Erik being Erik wanted his surname to be "Phantom" but Nadir stood firm against it and Erik settled in the end for a name similar but not quite so obvious. It was good to have Erik's spirits returning although he was never known for his humor he occasionally had a dark sense of the comedy of life. Nadir hoped with exposure to a more normal life his outlook would also become normal and see the humor in a joke. Erik was too pragmatic to appreciate Nadir and Darius' droll sense of humor at times. Their jokes only puzzled him and induced him to ask question after question until the humor of the joke was lost.

For his part Erik knew he had to put forth more effort to blend in. He would need to shed his dark persona that he had cultivated for so long as a protection against those who would not accept him as he truly was. It would be strange to be part of the human race. Of course Erik knew he was human but he had never been allowed the luxury of living as other men did. All his life they had shunned him and he had hated almost everyone except for a small number of people. He could count on one hand the humans he considered worthy of drawing breath. As often as he had denied he was a part of the human race his obsession with Christine had proven he was all too human with normal desires of a man. These desires he had been able to bury deep as he knew to allow them free reign was useless as by his own hand was the only source of release for him. A release he had to take every so often even as he hated giving into this weakness of his flesh. He was too fastidious for the service of prostitutes. He had enough insanity of his own without contracting a disease that eventually drove a man mad while eating away at his brain.

It was decided that England would be their first stop until a plan could be formed and put into motion. Erik was not one to favor spontaneity. He liked things to be planned so no unwanted surprises arose. Although his plan with Don Juan Triumphant and the dropping of the chandelier had not been a well laid or well thought out plan hence it's failure. Love and lust had blinded his eyes to the reality of his actions. In his blindness he had not wanted to see the possibility of failure. Being honest after recalling the last few months he had seen the end result but turned blindly away from the truth of his inevitable failure.

If he had taken time to think he would have whisked Christine away and wooed her later without the dramatic exit and devastation. A simple kidnapping would have given better results.

His music and voice had always been like a hypnotic drug to Christine. He could have seduced her. Many times she had come to his underground home and if not for his sense of honor and damned ingrained gentlemanly manners he could have had the young soprano on many occasions when his song and touch had made her act less than an innocent. Her body had been all to ready to give him what he wanted but in his arrogance he wanted her love before consummating the relationship. He was so sure he could persuade her. Oh to only go back in time and choose a different path.

Many nights of discussion and it was decided they would take the next boat to England taking only what was absolutely necessary. Anything they required could be purchased later. Money and clothing were all Erik had to show for his twenty some years living in a dark hole in the ground. Everything else had gone up in smoke and the mob searching to spill his blood had destroyed his underground sanctuary upon finding him gone from his home by the lake. He vowed never to go underground again. The next time he was buried under dirt he would be dead and not before.

The world respected power and money. He would gather so God damned much power and money he would equal a king. When he had enough then he would show all those who rejected him what it meant to feel pain. Christine and her young boy would feel the wrath of his anger in due time. He could wait.

He was no longer a freak show attraction. No longer a ghost. Soon he would live as other men did. His wealth would shroud those who looked upon him with blinding eyes. For the right inducement with coin he could buy loyalty and favor. In Persia he had been close to a god because of the fear he instilled in those who saw the darkness in his eyes and the evil intent of the devices he invented for torture.

He would gain a new source of power. Wealth. He was wealthy by anyone's standards already. The kind of wealth he wanted, no needed, was equaled only by the wealth of long dead Kings and Pharaohs.

Erik was not comfortable boarding the train until they reached their private car. He felt as if all eyes were on him and judging him and in truth there were eyes on him. Many admiring female eyes. All went unnoticed as Erik's only concern was to get to the privacy of their sleeping car. Finding their car he opened the door and gratefully took a step inside not waiting to see if Nadir or Darius followed behind him. He flopped onto the seat and exhaled heavily. This should have been his voyage with Christine beside him starting their new life as man and wife. Having two male companions was not how he envisioned his new life starting.

Coming into the car Nadir had a less than cordial look on his face. "As usual Erik you run off leaving me holding the bags. Were it not for the fact that Darius was with me I would have not been able to manage. You are without doubt the most thoughtless man I know. I am quite cross with you at this moment. You show no appreciation for all I have done. Not one word of thanks have I gotten from your miserable, ungrateful, selfish mouth."

"Thank you for doing what any good Christian would have gladly done for me knowing that I must not give the citizens too long to look upon my hideous face. We would not want to cause a panic. So thank you for doing your Christian duty as other Christians do daily without need for thanks or compensation."

"Oh is that so? Might I remind you I am not a Christian? And pray tell where were all these so called Christians when Darius and I were holding vigil at your bedside? I know we would have been glad to be relieved from watching over your ungrateful hide for a few hours. One would think a "thank you" would cross your lips at our kindness. Oh, pardon me I forgot to whom I am speaking. The great Erik who expects the world to bow at his feet so he can walk upon the bodies of those he considers beneath him."

"Did I not just a scant few seconds ago thank you? Good God Nadir you sound like a complaining wife. God forbid I ever get married if I were to be saddled with the likes of someone like you. Stop complaining like an old woman. You sound like one more every day. Let me please have silence for a bit so I may rest." Erik crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

"Oh yes you must be extremely tired having walked from the carriage to the train unencumbered by so much as an overnight bag. Dear me that must have been all of fifty steps from the carriage to the train platform and another twenty or thirty steps to our sleeping car. Are you sure you are quite recovered?"

Nadir put his hands up in front of him palms facing outward as he continued with his tirade. "Oh please do not get up you must not exert yourself so. Darius and I will handle this. You just rest and recuperate from your strenuous journey. We will put our things away. You must rest after all you have accomplished today."

"Thank you for your understanding. I am rather exhausted from all the travel."

"It must have escaped your notice but I was being sarcastic. For your education in such matters if I were a woman I would hope you would have a little more consideration and help carry our bags. I am not your servant. I swear sometimes I do not even like you. Now I think is one of those times. I think perhaps I will not speak to you until you apologize for your inconsiderate behavior."

"Thank God. I shall hold my apology until let us say the tenth day of never. Now maybe I can get some sleep. To not hear your voice complain for the next few hours seems my idea of heaven. If I have never told you before I will tell you now you have a most grating voice. Perhaps you have over taxed your vocal cords causing this grating noise in your speech."

"Ingrate," Nadir whispered. Erik pulled his hat down lower over his face and grinned.

Erik knew Nadir was only fussing to take his mind off traveling. It was always the same. Nadir would find something to complain about and argue incessantly about it. The first few times Erik had not caught on but soon he realized his friend was not that petty or complaining. On reflection he noticed these bouts of harping only occurred when he and Erik had to be in the public for any length of time. He appreciated his friend's thoughtfulness but it was still quite irritating to listen to him complain like a woman.

Burrowing down lower into his seat he let his mind wander. It had been eight long months since the disaster. He wondered how Christine was managing in her life as a vicomtesse. It hurt his heart to know she shared a bed with another though she had long ago lost her innocence to the boy. The weeks when she had left the opera house before the Gala he knew she was with that young whelp. When she returned the knowledge of a woman shown in her eyes. It had taken all his strength to refrain from hunting the boy down and snapping his neck like a twig. The only thing saving the boy was the fact that he wanted to claim Christine in front of the whole audience during the performance of his opera. Erik had wanted to grind that young nobles face in the knowledge that his "Little Lotte" had hot desire coursing in her veins for her dark mysterious tutor. A desire for more than his voice and ability to make her voice soar to heaven. He had dreamt of her voice soaring to heaven screaming his own name as she came to the moment of gratification during their joining. That dream melted away as the morning mist gives way to the heat of the morning sun. So his dream disappeared also of being her first lover just as she would have been his.

The trip to Le Havre, the port in Normandy where they would take the next step in their journey, was made without incidence. Erik made a point of carrying more than his fair share of the luggage to the gangplank where deckhands would take it to their designated cabins. The only way for Erik to avoid being seen was to sneak aboard among the food and other goods being loaded. Nadir squashed that plan as soon as Erik gave voice to it during breakfast. If he was to be a man he needed to begin to live as a man.

Having decided revenge was not his most sensible pursuit for the moment Erik accepted what fate had deemed to be his next fork in the road of his life. With little regret Erik and his two companions boarded the ship that would carry them to England. In a few days he would begin to gain all he had ever longed for. He could even have a woman. She would not love him and may not be able to look upon his face but if enough monetary inducement was offered even he could lay with a woman. Having lost his dream of his one true love he would settle for the satisfaction of having his body pleasured. Something he felt he had waited long enough to achieve. God he was a thirty year old virgin. Most men lost their innocence at the age of sixteen. Many nobles took their sons to brothels for just that purpose. Those fathers frowned upon those women but still availed themselves of the women's services.

Erik thought this was the most pressing issue. Having his libido awakened by Christine and left without satisfaction was most distressing. Over the years he had at times been caught in the shackles of burning lust but had for the most part driven it out with his music. His passionate music had taken the place of the passion in his body. Perhaps that was why he was always in a frenzy when he composed. After days of composing non stop his body would be in a state of bliss when the final note was written. Much like a man who had been sated with a woman's body. Christine had ruined his love affair with his music. It was no longer his mistress. He still had the passion for it but now he wanted another mistress to fulfill his bodies passionate needs.

They left France in the early morning just as the sun was coming up chasing away the shadows of the night. The time was just before the sun crested over the horizon. Darkness had not completely relinquished it's hold on the night. The three men boarded the ship with a light mist and dense fog shrouding them from prying eyes. Erik was glad for the cover of the mist and fog as he was never comfortable among people. The stares unnerved him and provoked unease and anger.

Two promises Erik made to himself as the ship left the country of his origin and headed for new vistas. He would never again deprive himself of the warmth of the sun on his face. He would now have a day and a night. No more days of eternal darkness. The second promise involved his baser needs. He would not spend his life not knowing the sweet embrace of a woman's legs gripping him in passion or arms holding him to those soft feminine curves of a woman's breasts.

He knew the mechanics of making love he had just never had an opportunity to use his knowledge on any woman. Life behind the scenes of the opera and life in the Persian harem had shown him what the exchange of passion was supposed to be and by God he would have that pleasure soon. Christine's rejection had shown him his folly of expecting a woman to come to him without the added inducement of financial gain. God how his body ached for her even now knowing of her betrayal. He was even more pathetic than he had originally thought. As hard as he tried her face was planted firmly in his memory and could not be pushed out.

What Erik didn't know and Nadir did was Erik was an attractive man. He was young and wealthy. His body was one to be envied as he was quite strong and muscular. His climbing in the rafters and flies of the theatre had toned his body well not to mention all the stairs he climbed keeping watch over the opera house. His skin was quite pale but that could be remedied with exposure to the sun and a proper diet. Not the sporadic meals Erik consumed when he even thought to eat.

The dark and damp hole he had lived in was not conducive to a healthy complexion. The small portion of his ravaged face would always be a source of disgust and fear for some but there were many women who would find his charm and virile body outweighing any physical deformity. Nadir admitted privately Erik's face was quite upsetting to see at first. Even after all these years Nadir flinched when he happened to get a glimpse of that horrible sight. Not so much anymore because of it's ugliness but because he knew of the pain it caused Erik. He had learned not to let his reaction show in any noticeable way or perhaps Erik simply chose not to see his discomfort.

Erik just needed time in the real world to find such women and how to interact with the human race without using his weapon of choice his Punjab lasso on all who anger him. Nadir had extracted a promise from Erik that he would no longer take a life of someone simply because they had the bad luck to fall in his disfavor. Erik had promised he would only use his weapon if his life or the life of an innocent was in danger. Nadir had to be satisfied with that concession. Once Erik gave his word as a gentleman he would stand by it as a matter of honor. If nothing else Erik was a gentleman and a man of honor.

As Nadir stood at the rail beside Erik he prayed for such a woman soon as his friend was not known for patience. Left alone too long without stimulation his mind would fall into the deep depression Erik was prone to sooner or later.

"Erik, I did not ask before but I will ask now. Did you suffer much when you went back to your lair? Have you been able to let go of some of the more painful memories?"

"To bid a final farewell to my old home was quite distressing. Did not the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche say "That which does not kill us makes us stronger"? I will survive the loss and be stronger for the pain I suffered. Nadir I will never forget my love for Christine. I fear she has embedded herself in my heart too deeply to have her removed. It was hard to let go of my old home but I am resigned to looking toward my future. In fact I am quite looking forward to new experiences. There are so many possibilities out there. Is it foolish of me to think I might experience some of those wonderful life experiences others take for granted?"

"Erik it is not foolish at all. As soon as you set foot on the deck of this ship your new life began. It is up to you to pursue life. You can not bury yourself in darkness and then bemoan the fact that life is passing you by. This is a fresh start and a new chance at life. Grab it with both hands my friend."

"I do no wish to intrude but Master Erik, Nadir speaks the truth. The biggest barrier between living life and watching it from the dark corners has always been within you. You place yourself outside the circle of humanity. I am not saying all will be willing to accept you. There will always be those who will reject you. Some may even turn away in horror. For each one who rejects you there will be one who wants to know you as you really are. Not the man in the mask but the man behind that shield. Master Nadir and I face prejudice every day. It is not easy being of different religions and different skin tones than what is excepted as the norm. We know who we are and our value. That is something you must learn. Please forgive me for speaking so freely." As the last words were spoken Darius bowed with his hands placed together.

"Nonsense Darius. You hold a place equal to that of Erik and myself. Why should you not speak your mind? In fact I agree with what you have said. If Erik gives it some thought he will also. He knows the truth of your words. We have lived in France for the last ten years yet there were still those who looked at us as if we should not rub elbows with any of those fine noble men and women. Not all but enough for it to be noticeable."

The two men faced Erik expectantly. He said nothing. His eyes never left the vista of the receding coastline of France. In his heart he knew they spoke the truth. Sharing feelings and listening to the opinions of others was a new experience for Erik. He had always made decisions on his own. He had never had anyone to give him advice or guidance. Erik had so much to learn about living among others. He hoped he was up to the task he had set for himself.

Realizing Erik would not be commenting on their statements both men turned back to the rail and continued to watch as the outline of France grew smaller. Noticing the sun beginning to clear away the last of the mist and fog Erik bid them good-day. His resolution not to be deprived of the sun could wait until another day. He had tested his bounds of tolerance already by standing at the rail while other passengers did the same. He needed the sanctuary of his cabin. He still needed solitude once in a while as much as he had hated it as the dark dweller of the opera house. Now solitude was a choice and not something forced because of how others would react to him.

Quietly, so quiet so as to be almost lower than a whisper Erik said, "Thank you my friends."

So a new chapter began for the man known as The Phantom of the Opera and soon to be known as Erik Fontaine. The ship was sailing into the bright light of a new day taking him away from a shore that had long tortured his soul and to a shore where he might find redemption and peace and most of all the allusive love he needed most desperately.


	5. Chapter 4

**Warning: Sexual content.**

**Chapter Four**

**The Dream Begins **

The first night aboard ship Erik chose to hibernate in his cabin. He left the room late in the evening after dining alone. On his late evening prowl around the ship he saw not one soul wishing to enjoy the beauty of the night and the full moon reflecting in the wake of the ships passage. A natural gift of nature needing no enhancements to be beautiful. The dark night sky sparkled with millions of stars. Jewels strewn across the heavens. The moonlight gave an unnatural glow to everything it touched. This night was meant for lovers to share. Erik had never shared a lovers moon. Erik was grateful for his solitary walks in the night as he had no one to hide from in this half light.

The cold wind whipped against him bringing tears to his eyes but he didn't mind. The night was luring him into it's dark embrace and he was helpless to resist. Not having the will or inclination to deny himself thoughts of her he allowed Christine's face and voice to haunt his mind. He could hear whispers of song floating around him. The words entranced even as they ravaged his heart with a new searing pain of loss. For a few moments of bliss he suffered hours of torment knowing the dream of her was all he would ever have. That young whelp had her in his bed giving and receiving pleasure in her body. Thinking of her was a deep pleasure and an excruciating pain. He would suffer any amount of pain to have just a brief glimpse of her face. He would gladly give his life to hear her voice sing one of his melodies again.

_**Erik you are a most pathetic man. She left you to die without a care for your wellbeing. She heard the mob as well as you did but did she show a moment of concern? No, she left with only a fleeting look over her shoulder. More than likely assuring herself you had not changed your mind and were following them. For all she knows you could be dead. For all intents and purposes you are dead to her. For all your dreams of revenge and having her in your life again the possibility is as small as finding one particular grain of sand on a beach. One grain of sand for a positive result and the remaining grains the surety of not having your wish granted. The negative far outweighs the positive.**_

Not liking his thoughts he went to bed to try in futility to lose himself in sleep and escape her image. Fruitless desire that was. His dreams were filled with her making the loss all the more painful. Even in slumber his torment haunted him.

A strange occurrence happened their second night out. Nadir had nagged him like and old woman and he relented and joined them at their table for dinner instead of dining in his dark and very stuffy cabin. They shared a table with several other passengers. Among them was a most forward young woman. Her name was Susan Manchester. The daughter of a family of wealth and favored by the royal family. Nadir had learned she had been sent to live with an aunt in France when her antics at home in England had gossip flying around the bluebloods. Her father thought to send her to his aging sister to curtail her antics. Her aunt had been far to meek and mild to handle the young harlot. She had gone through so many young noblemen mother's were locking up their young sons in fear she would start on the younger sons as she had swept through most of the eligible and certainly a few ineligible young men.

Susan's father had sent for her after arranging a marriage with a much older man who didn't mind the loose morals of his future young bride. Being in his late sixties and with no heir he was willing to take on the tarnished young woman to secure the continuation of his family's line. The older gentleman had been quite a rogue in his day. Marriage had never seemed pressing until it occurred to him that he was on the wrong side of sixty and still had not produced an heir. Not one he would claim at any rate.

Nadir had shared his knowledge with Erik who showed little interest in the telling. What did it matter to him what this woman did? He had his own worries and troubles. Nadir gossiped worse than a group of chattering females.

Introductions were made and all the males except for Erik, Nadir and Darius pulled out a chair for the young woman. Erik could appreciate her beauty but saw no sense in torturing himself with thoughts of bedding her.

He sat at the table and the young woman pulled out the chair by his left side ignoring the offers of seating by the other gentlemen and sat down beside Erik. His heart stopped for a fraction of a second then beat like an over wound clock. The intoxicating scent wafting from her was enough to drive a sane man, which Erik was not, insane with desire. The males around the table stared at her cleavage with quick surreptitious glances. Erik had the best view as he was by her side and was quite a bit taller than the woman beside him. Her gown allowed for quite a bit of skin to be on display. Erik thanked a God he no longer believed in for small favors. During the meal she confused the hell out of him. Damned if the vixen did not keep rubbing herself on his arm and brushing her leg against his during dinner. Her hand on his thigh had him nearly choking on his bite of baked chicken. His face he knew was as red as a ruby and his cheeks felt as if he had a fever. The fever Erik soon realized was not only in his face. A part of him was growing ever more hard and tightening his trousers.

Erik thought he must be crowding her at the table and moved his chair over a couple of inches. Never had anyone willingly touched him. Even his mother put off taking care of his needs until Christian charity made her guiltily attend to her young son.

Conversation around the table was varied as there were two older gentlemen who were veterans of the recent war and were not shy of showing their medals to all who were interested and even those who were not. Erik was grouped with the latter as he thought the men quite boastful and pompous. He was definitely not envious or jealous of those fools. Half his brain held more knowledge than both of theirs put together.

He could not help but notice that they vied for the young woman's attention. He believed he recalled her name being Susan something or other. No matter, he had no plan to further their acquaintance. He could not stand another rejection so soon after His failure with Christine.

He was contented with enjoying his meal when the strangest thing began to occur. Ever so subtly he almost could believe he imagined it her chair moved a fraction of an inch toward his. Her bare shoulder was again rubbing his arm in a most distracting way.

Nothing further happened so he returned to my meal. It was not the best meal he had ever had but it was adequate. He would enjoy this meal though as he did not care for English fare the last few times he had visited that country.

Just when Erik was accepting that the touching had indeed been accidental her soft hand made it's way to his thigh again and moved ever so slowly upward. Erik could hardly breath and he began to sweat profusely. He feared he might faint his breathing was becoming so rapid and erratic. Not having come across any situation like this before naturally he was not sure what his response should be.

He had to force himself not to jump out of his seat when that wicked little hand groped between his legs grasping his hardness in her hand and squeezing ever so gently on his manhood. He was sure he must be dreaming or his madness had taken over his mind and he was hallucinating.

Erik looked around the table and no one gave any indication of knowing about the sinful deed being carried out underneath the table. As her hand began to stroke him he knew he had to remove himself from this situation or he would have her on the table and damn the consequences. Things like this just did not happen to him. Perhaps she had eaten some meat that was off and it was affecting her mind. Erik knew of mushrooms and other drugs that could cause hallucinations and lower ones inhibitions. Perhaps something of that nature had inadvertently gotten in something she ate or drank causing her to think him someone she was intimately acquainted with.

Clearing his throat of the sudden restriction clogging his throat he stated, "I am suddenly not feeling well. I beg your forgiveness but I think I will return to my cabin. Nadir if you could please bring some of your stomach medicine to my cabin I would be most appreciative. Ladies, gentlemen goodnight. Enjoy the rest of your meal." With the words hardly out of his mouth he had scooted his chair back and jumped up. With a hasty bow he left the dining room as if the hounds of hell were nipping at his booted feet.

Nadir was confused with Erik's request. Nadir cast a questioning look in Darius' direction but he only shrugged. He was as baffled as Nadir about Erik's rather abrupt departure. Most peculiar as Erik never suffers from illness disregarding his sickness of mind of course and his illness associated with the young diva.

What stomach medicine? Nadir sat at the table in confusion. Erik was the one with the knowledge of all the ancient remedies and medicines. He could clean a wound and stitch it but he had little useful knowledge of medicines and herbs. He supposed he would have to go to Erik to solve this little mystery.

He waited for dinner to end then declined joining in the dancing taking place after dinner. Damn man even curtails his leisure time. He so would have loved to hold one of those beauties close to him on the dance floor. What new twist to torment him had Erik concocted now he wondered? The man would be the death of him if he didn't quickly find him something to occupy his overly intelligent brain.

He made his way below deck and found Erik's cabin. He knocked and barely had time to make a move to knock a second time when the door was jerked open and he was pulled roughly into the room. The momentum caused him to stumble forward and almost fall flat on his face. He regained his footing just before he fel to the floor in what would have been a painful fall.

Half expecting a burglar he readied himself to exchange blows. He whirled around and brought his fists up to strike out at an assailant. Upon seeing Erik standing there he sighed in relief and dropped his hands.

"Erik I have long ago realized you are an eccentric but what in the name of all that is holy has gotten into you man? Your acting strange even for you. Has your fever perhaps returned?"

"If I did not have a more pressing matter to discuss with you I would take offence of your words but as it is I am quite baffled and need a clear head. Please remember I will not let aspersions on my character go unpunished in the future even if I do claim you as a friend." Having said this he glared at his friend in his most menacing fashion. Nadir was not quite sure his life had been in danger. With Erik it paid to err on the side of caution. He apologized for his impertinence. One could never be absolutely sure of Erik's temper or sanity.

Erik waived his apology aside and strode as far as the small cabin would allow then a few long legged strides and he was again in front of Nadir. Erik had not shown this much agitation since his little diva left with the Vicomte. He had not one clue what was going through the man's mind. Erik tended to have a wide range of mood swings and went from one to another in the blink of an eye. Nadir never had been able to decipher Erik's moods. Perhaps that is just as well. To get to far into Erik's head would surely lead to madness. There was just too much churning around in that God awful genius mind of his. Enough to drive a simple man into madness he was sure. Look what it had done to Erik.

"I confess I am stumped as to the reason for what just occurred. My mind tells me I am a fool to think it was intentional but then even when I gave her room the action was repeated. Dare I say even further liberties were taken? Not that I mind such liberties but I can find no purpose for them and I am damned frustrated. What do you think Nadir?"

"At this moment I think you have failed to express what your problem is so I fear I can not pass judgment at this moment. Erik for a man who is often clear to the point of being too blunt on occasion at this moment you are at the risk of my life I will say you are as clear as the mud at the bottom of a pond. What are you asking me to make judgment on if I may ask for my clarification?"

"The young woman who sat beside me tonight. She was most forward with me. Not outwardly so anyone would notice but under the table she was quite free in touching my person." Nadir saw a most astounding sight. One he had never seen when in Erik's presence. Erik's face flushed with the heat of embarrassment. What in the name of Allah had the young woman done?

This was most intriguing. In all the years of their acquaintance Nadir could never remember seeing Erik flushed from anything other than anger which most days occurred every few seconds or the fever from sickness which occurred after his madness with that Daae woman. That an encounter with an attractive woman was the cause heightened the mystery and his interest.

"How friendly shall we say was the young woman?" Nadir had a hard time repressing the grin that wanted to spread across his face at Erik's uncomfortable shifting from leg to leg and the almost shy way he avoided looking directly into his old friend's eyes. He began to fidget with his suit jacket and placed his hands in his pockets rocking forward and back on the heels of his boots.

"Well she touched a place covered by my trousers that only as an infant did my mother touch and myself for personal reasons we need not go into. What can be the meaning of this bold move? Do you think it was meant to embarrass me? Yes. Yes. That must be the answer. An attempt to have a laugh at my expense." Erik continued his frantic pacing.

"Erik if that were true would it not have been better to do something others could see and not something given privacy by the table? As an attempt to embarrass you in public I would say it failed dismally. To have a private reaction the bullseye was hit. Is that a correct expression Erik?"

"Damn if I am inclined to give you a lesson in speaking correctly when something so momentous has occurred. What in hell am I supposed to do in reaction to such boldness?

"Accept it with a smile? Thank your God for small mercies? Give hot pursuit? So many options are open to you. One would be maybe to try to have a conversation with her. Of course that would require you to leave your borough here in your room. Oh! And dare I say it? You might have to face the light of day. This could be my chance to test a theory of mine that you are part vampire as the man in that dreadfully frightening manuscript you gave me to read. Why do men insist on supporting such nonsense? For centuries superstition has lent credence to the legends."

"It hadn't escaped my notice you did at one time sleep in a coffin and let us not forget that black cape you swirl around like wings of a bat. Come to think of it your attire has always been on the dark side. I have attributed your feud with your God to be the result of your deformity and anger but perhaps your aversion to all things holy stems from an inability to touch anything blessed by your God. You know as hard as I try I can not remember ever seeing you in the light of day. Your eyes do have that uncanny ability to seemingly glow in the dark."

Nadir shivered in remembrance of that tomb of evil he had thought would be entertaining. He had made the mistake of reading the manuscript late one stormy night. The young man who wrote this missive had to be demented. Erik often received mauscripts as he had at one time written several books that had been published. As a favor to the publisher he read mauxcripts then forwarded his opinion onto the man in England.

A police chief in Persia he may have been but the thought of someone drinking the blood of others to sustain a semblance of life after the death of the body was quite disturbing. It sounded like something the cruel Khanum would do. Thinking back he was quite sure that was one of her demented pleasures.

"Are you still going on about that proposed book? Nadir it has been almost a year since you read the thing. In all that time have you come across anyone, other than myself of course, who could fit into the roll of a vampire? For God sake man you were one of the most frightening men in Persia, head of the police and here you are quaking and whimpering like a woman over a fictional character. If you recall my days were kept busy serving the Shah and his mother. Their demands did not leave much free time and you must remember I was away a lot overseeing the construction of the new palace and as for sleeping in a coffin you know I did that to remind myself I looked like death as if my face weren't enough of a reminder. My life under the opera did not leave me with the opportunity to seek the light in case of discovery and need I remind you that my face is gruesome enough at night in daylight it may well give a person heart failure."

"I take offense at your remarks. I do not whimper or quake. I simply had a momentary chill and it made my voice less strong. You have to concede that there is ample evidence to support the theory that you could be a child of the night. Now let's please do leave my reading habits behind and focus on your dilemma. Although I fail to see why you have such negative views on the encounter. Just as reminder I tell you again your face is not your main issue. Your attitude and temper do not invite closeness. A smile would invite conversation but your scowls send even the strongest of men running in fear."

"Fine. Fine. I still think you're an old woman but let's not digress. I think the young woman may have been drunk or delusional. Why would such a beautiful woman try to attract me with so many young, handsome and wealthy men on board?"

"Erik as I have told you before on many occasions you are a striking figure. Many women would be thrilled to keep company with you. If you could ever learn to curb your anger you might see a different world around you."

"Oh I am sure of this as my schedule has been so busy entertaining all these young women. Why I hardly have time to catch my breath. Soon I shall have to allot numbers just so that I make sure I do not neglect one or favor one over the other." Erik voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Pack your sarcasm away or I shall leave. How could you expect to meet any young women? You have hidden in the dark and dank bowels of that damn opera house for twenty years. If you had taken the time to woo the young women of the opera instead of scaring them half to death making them think you were a damn ghost you may have found a woman by now."

As he saw Erik about to speak he knew what he was going to say and Nadir cut him off before he could utter one word.

"Do not spout that nonsense about Christine. That young vixen was not the woman for you and the two of you were hardly a normal couple. Angel of Music indeed. In Persia you were the Angel of Death. I just realized that you have a fixation with angels Erik. You do not hear any voices perhaps or see visions of your God perchance?"

"Do not be ridiculous. I am somewhat insane at times but not yet to that level of losing my mind. Need I remind you that you are still on notice and my Punjab nears your throat with each word?"

"It is comforting to know you are the same insane Erik I have always known. With you it pays to be cautious. For your information I do not think you are wrong in your assumptions that the young woman was intentionally overly familiar with you and as a man I would think you should know the answer to the question of why. She has lust for you. Imagine that Erik."

Erik's mind boggled at the thought of a young woman lusting for him. Good God only a few months ago he was begging on bended knee for Christine to stay with him in any capacity. He was even willing to forgo intimacy for her company alone. To hear her voice in song would have been enough for him besotted fool that he was and still is he admitted to himself.

"Tomorrow casually seek the young woman out and strike up a conversation with her. You are an articulate man and have knowledge of vast numbers of subjects. You should have no difficulty in keeping her interest."

A handsome man would have no difficulty but a man with this face had many concerns. One being not having her run screaming when she sees me in the harsh light of day and with a mind not fogged by liquor. I must be mad to think I could attract such a woman. It is best to leave things as they are and at least have the false thought that she was attracted to me instead of having her confirm my delusion."

"Erik you are such a fool. The woman had only sat down at the table. She had consumed no alcohol. Right now I could use a healthy dose myself even though it would go against the teachings of my religion. That is how much you drive me to insanity. Soon I fear you will have a roommate in the room at the asylum You are a most frustrating man. If I did know you would kill me I would smack some sense into that hard stubborn head of yours. Just accept the fact that women are going to find you a mysterious dangerous man and want to be the one to tame your wild wicked ways. Of course they do not know you are totally beyond taming. Sleep on it tonight and we'll see how you feel in the morning."

"Sleep? How often do I require sleep? I shall try but I fear it will be a fruitless pursuit." Erik had never required much sleep and as nightmares plagued him nightly he was glad of that.

"Always the pessimist Erik. Did you know in the book it said that vampires do not sleep. They simply rest in their coffin from sunup until sundown. When was the last time you saw a sunrise Erik?" Seeing Erik begin to bare his white teeth he thought again of vampires and thought of the long walk in the dark to get to the other side of the ship. He could almost swear Erik's eye teeth had grown just the tiniest bit. At this moment Nadir wished he were a Christian and had a cross handy or perhaps holy water. Damn Erik and his books and would it hurt him not to be so damned dark all the time?

After closing the door after Nadir left Erik wondered how he would get to sleep. On normal nights his sleep was troubled and now his body was betraying him. His ardor had lessened somewhat but the want was still there lurking to take hold of him in dreams. Erik did not foresee slumber taking him into it's peaceful arms any time soon. He did not even have his organ to bash out his frustration upon. His violin was too fragile and he feared he might damage it in his frenzy to release his passions.

After undressing in the bathroom Erik bathed with the water his cabin boy had brought earlier. He sank into the tub relaxing his muscles in the lukewarm water. He closed his eyes and Christine's image floated across his mind's eye. That angelic face he longed to caress. Those warm lush lips he longed to press against his in a fever of want and need. His hands ached to caress her breasts and all the womanly parts hidden from the eyes of everyone but the one who is her lover. Oh to be that man. He would sell his soul to the devil to possess her once. One time only and he could live forever in the heavenly memory.

These thoughts brought his body to a state of uncomfortable arousal. He moved trying to relieve some of the ache knowing it was useless. Giving in to the need his hand crept down to his hard flesh. Taking his hardened shaft into his hand he slowly moved his hand up and down caressing the flesh that ached for attention. Soon his strokes were coming faster and harder. His hips raising to met the downward stroke of his hand. In his mind's eye it was Christine stroking him in ecstasy. A moan escaped his mouth. The pleasure was reaching near unbearable levels. He pictured himself firmly seated between her lush white thighs buried deep in her warmth. His hand started to pump up and down frantically seeking to give him the release he needed desperately. He moaned out Christine's name in a tortured voice. His voice sounding guttural in the heat of passion.

At first he didn't hear the knock at the door. His lust drowned out all but the drive to reach the pinnacle of release. The knocking continued and finally penetrated his mind. If he had been sure he had remembered to lock the door he would have cursed the person behind the door to hell and continued. If it was Nadir he may well enter if Erik didn't answer. With one last lustful stroke dragging a groan from his throat he paused. His labored breathing gradually slowed.

His engorged manhood refused to relax. It throbbed with unsatisfied need. Erik promised himself if it was Nadir at his door he was no longer going to be in the land of the living. Damnation whoever stood behind that door was in peril of losing their life.

Shoving his arms into his black robe he stalked angrily across the cabin and threw the door open with a hard jerk that had the door hitting the wall with a crash. The noise and the sudden opening of the door made the young woman standing there jump and give a squeak of fright. Looking at his face her eyes widened momentarily. He thought it was due to his sudden opening of the door.

Erik could not believe what his eyes were seeing. Susan Manchester stood before him clutching a blue satin cloak around her luscious body. He eyes raked over her form and they widened when he saw her feet were bare. He saw ten dainty well manicured toes sticking out from under her cloak. Catching him staring at her bare toes they curled under in nervousness. She was by no means shy but she had never sought to seduce a man after only meeting him for a few short hours. Her time was short so she couldn't afford the usual coy games she played with potential lovers.

"Will you not invite me in Erik? I hope you don't mind if I call you Erik and you may call me Susan. After all I feel we are to become great friends."

Not knowing what to do and wanting to return to his bath and his self pleasuring he hesitated then bowed from the waist and swept his hand in invitation. She passed in front of him and trailed her hand down from his shoulder to his waist as she stepped past him into the cabin. He sucked his breath in quickly. In Erik's haste he had forgotten to put on his mask. His frustration and anger were all he could think of in this moment. His mask for once far from his thinking at this moment.

Shutting the door he leaned his head against the door banged his head a couple of times against the solid wood and inhaled deeply then turned and stopped as if suddenly hitting a wall of brick. The bold young temptress had removed her cloak and she was as naked as the day she was born underneath. Hungrily yet believing he must have fallen asleep in his bath and a marvelous dream was about to unfold he let his gaze rove over her curves. His heated eyes taking in each inch of bared flesh.

"I know you will think I'm some sort of loose woman but I had to take this opportunity to have one last fling with a young attractive man. As soon as I reach England's shores I will be tied to man older than my own grandfather. Please don't send me away. I ask nothing more than this one night. After that if you no longer wish to see me I shall be grateful for one last night of heated passion."

Heated passion? Erik had yet to share one night of passion with a woman. Heated of otherwise. The instant reaction of his body made him grateful for the thick concealing material of his robe. His lower body was definitely giving the young woman his full attention.

As she spoke she had been advancing on him slowly. When she was but an inch from his muscled body she stopped and raised her shapely brow in question. When he made no move to retreat or advance she took it upon herself to initiate contact. Erik could make no response other than swallow whatever seemed to be lodged in his throat.

At her first touch his skin heated several degrees and his heart took on the rhythm of a watch wound too tightly. He could feel each heavy beat pound the inner wall of his chest shaking his body with the power of the heavy beats. God if this is but a dream he was going to enjoy each moment until he woke up. A fleeting thought flitted across his mind that maybe he had succumbed to the use of morphine once more and he was hallucinating while in a drug induced slumber.

Erik stretched his hand out and when she didn't shy from his touch he gently stroked her face with the barest tip of his fingers. When she did nothing but stroke her cheek against him he laid the palm of his hand on her cheek and slowly lowered his lips to hers not wanting to frighten her. He himself was shaking like a leaf in a strong wind. Christine had been the only woman he had ever touched in this manner and look how that had turned out. Flashes of his time with Christine entered his mind and his love and want stormed his defenses.

The last night they were together she had been in his opera Don Juan Triumphant. He could again hear the sensual lyrics and erotic music of his one and only opera to be seen by an audience. That night Erik and Christine had all but made love on the stage. He had purposely wrote the words to suggest two people promising to have wild untamed sex. He had wanted that twit of a boy to suffer as he seduced then made love to Christine with his voice, touching her intimately in front of everyone. He had done it too and she had certainly responded. For a few blessed moments he thought she had changed her mind about betraying him. Then she had ripped his mask from him with only a small fleeting look of regret. Her eyes had quickly turned to her precious Vicomte.

A burning urgent need heated his lower body and the ache that had not left him earlier shot through him with such force that he pulled the young woman into his body so forcefully he knocked the breath from her temporarily. He had taken her by surprise and it had taken her a moment to react to his advance. In his haste he was far less gentle than he should have been. Her lips parted and her tongue rubbed along Erik's lips asking for entrance. Not having any experience with kissing or what came after Erik tried to recall some of the conversations he had over heard from the bragging stagehands. He had been entertained throughout his youth with the torrid escapades that went on behind the scenes and had even watched a few encounters as well.

Feeling perhaps he should relax a bit he let his lips loosen and soften. That was all Susan needed to allow her tongue to forge into his mouth and stroke his tongue with hers. The heat he felt before now became an inferno. Urges he never felt before were telling his mind to grab and take what he wanted and damn the consequences. Another part was telling him he would be betraying his love for Christine if he took what he wanted so badly.

The image of Christine only made his desire for gratification more urgent. Allowing his mind to replace the woman in his arms with an image of Christine drove him to seek more than the touch of her lips on his. His hands began to explore her body. In his mind it was Christine's body he touched and that moved so enticingly under him. The groan of pleasure from her gave proof that his touch was welcome and indeed needed. When his hand grazed the taught peak of her breast her hand came over his and held it to her firmly. When he made no move to remove his hand she released his and boldly put her hand on his chest and rubbed her soft hand over his male nipples. Ripples of pleasure coursed through his veins shooting hot flowing blood directly to his already engorged manhood.

When her dainty hand traveled from his chest and then down his stomach just above his groin a groan escaped from his throat. A satisfied smile crossed her face as her hands rose back to his shoulders and crept under his robe. She smoothed his robe from his shoulders and down his arms letting it slide to the floor. Erik had never stood before anyone unclothed. If he had he had no memory of it. His hot glance down her body fueled an already burning fire in his lower body.

Susan brought her hand back to his shoulder and trailed her hands over the hard flesh. She moved her hands down his chest rubbing gently over his male nipples. Her right hand moved down over his stomach causing him to inhale quickly. When that blessedly tormenting hand traveled further and grasped him with her fingers wrapped tightly around his throbbing manhood he nearly shot through the ceiling of his cabin. He was the only person to ever see or touch that part of him in all his adult life. To have a soft feminine hand wrapped around him was heaven. When she began to stroke him he thought he had entered heaven sometime in the last few seconds for surely he heard the angels heavenly choir singing just for him. He prayed with what little belief he still had in that deity that he could please her and not embarrass himself coming to completion too early. Being a virgin, he knew his chances of holding off the inevitable would be minute. Once he sank into that wet warmth he knew it would take but a few strokes to lose control. He had to pleasure her first then seek his own.

Feeling his knees begin to shake and about to buckle he swept her up into his arms and strode over to the bed. He laid her down gently and stood for mere seconds feasting his eyes on her beauty. Nothing he could have imagined could surpass the reality of a beautiful woman's body. He closed his eyes and brought the image of Christine to his mind. With her firmly in his thoughts he lay down beside the woman and began to touch all her secret places that had until now been a mystery to Erik. Oh God Christine how much I love you. With the memory of his love he brought his lips down to crush the soft feminine ones beneath his.

When he felt her hand on his face for a moment he was confused by the feeling. Something was odd and out of place. Her hand was caressing his skin. The skin of his right deformed cheek. That if nothing else could douse the ardor in him. His night of passion was over before he had reaped any benefit of the woman's willing body. God truly hated him and cursed him. Erik just hoped he could come away with a little of his dignity intact.


	6. Chapter 5

**Warning:Sexual content. Language.**

**Chapter Five**

**The Face is Not the Ruler of Passion **

Erik shot to a sitting position. His hand flew to his face to cover the red mottled flesh. The misshapen skin and raw places where the mask rubbed continuously. The skin was rough to the touch and ridges and folds of skin covered the crest of his cheek. Small knots where bone tissue grew were on his cheek and forehead. His hair was thinner on that side. The malformed flesh reaching up into his hairline. Until recently he had worn a black wig. Nadir had taken him to a barber and his hair was cut in such a way as to cover most of the right side of his head. Nothing could be done about his face.

"God please forgive me. I did not realize my mask was not on. In my haste I had forgotten to replace it." Erik felt his anger rising. Not at the young woman but at himself. How stupid to forget something that was such an important part of who he was. His mask was what had given him strength over the years. The ability to strive for a place in the world. It had been the driving force for him at the opera house. Behind that piece of leather he felt like a man. All his flaws could be shielded from prying eyes. A gentle hand on his shoulder made him flinch away from her touch The hand returned and he accepted the touch. Slowly she stroked that hand down from his shoulder over the many scars on his back earned from the leather strap of his mother and then later from the Gypsy's leather whip.

"Erik? Did it seem as if I minded? Wasn't I pleasing enough? I thought you wanted me as I wanted you. Your face isn't that bad. Not to me. I won't lie it is not pleasant to look at but not unbearable. Believe me I have seen worse among the crew members of this ship. Honestly it isn't your face that would have attracted me to you in the first place. You have many attributes that would please a woman. I am a woman who is attracted by a strong body rather than a handsome face. Let me show you."

Sitting up behind him she wrapped her arms around his waist and began to kiss his shoulders and back. At first he was stiff and unresponsive but she was determined to have her night. Her hands were not idle. Never had Susan been with a man whose body was so muscled and firm. Most of the noblemen she knew were soft and overweight due to lack of exercise. Erik was quite an enticing specimen.

Erik was reaching a point where he had to find relief or go insane with need. His body and mind agreed satisfaction was better than insanity.

Pulling on his shoulder she pulled him back to lay flat on his back. Bending down she kissed him and then the kiss grew in passion and intensity with each passing second. With a strangled groan Erik flipped over and when she was under him he sought the softness of her breast with his hand. With an encouraging hand she guided his head to her so his lips and mouth could seek the joy of her softness. That pink tipped pebble begged his mouth to savor what so proudly puckered before his eyes. He took the tip into his mouth and sucked deeply. His tongue moved in an unknown caress. When she shivered and moaned Erik repeated the action but this time it was planned and deliberate.

In his eagerness Erik was at first not as debonair or skilled as he would have wished but what he lacked in skill he more than made up for in stamina and a willingness to please his partner. He had seen lovers in the opera in all manner of lovemaking. He had read countless books on the subject. None of that mattered in this moment when he was faced with a flesh and blood woman. A willing one at that. His body was racing miles ahead of his brain. At this rate he would explode without having even ventured into that heavenly warmth.

Each place Erik placed his hand seemed to please her. When his hand brushed the curls at the apex of her thighs he thought for a moment he had hurt her in some way as she gasped loudly. Until she grabbed his hand back and guided it back to that wet warm place he had never seen in such close quarters and most assuredly not touched. He then knew the sounds she made were the sounds of pleasure not pain. He had seen women behind the opera stage in all manner of dress but never this close and never had he touched any of those women as much as he had longed to.

The accidental rub of a finger on the small nub of nerves between her feminine folds had Susan lifting her hips up from the mattress. Not knowing what caused the reaction he simply repeated what he had done and elicited a response with a more intense reaction from the woman.

Seeing in his mind Christine writhing in pleasure and hearing her cry his name in passion drove Erik to shove his hips against the warm flesh under him. The feel of a small hand wrapping around his swollen shaft drove all thoughts from him except to seek an end to this torture and finding relief from this burning in his loins and the steady buildup of pressure needing to be released.

With each stroke of his finger she matched a stroke of her hand. Erik ground his hips lustily into her massaging hand. He never thought such small appendages could give and receive so many delightful sensations. All he wanted to think of was Christine and hearing her moan and seek to return the caresses he was giving her. In his mind each stroke of his hand was given to his beloved Christine.

"Oh God Erik now. Take me now. I shall lose my mind if you don't possess me now."

Hearing her voice was interrupting his illusion and he was not pleased. He kissed her fiercely to prevent further speech. Using his knee he pushed her willing legs apart and settled between her thighs. He positioned himself and felt the warm wetness against him. He wanted to surge into that tight wetness so badly he had to struggle to keep his head. The only thing keeping him from erupting at that moment was his willpower alone. His body was screaming for him to take her and drive into her until his need was satisfied. Knowing if he gave in to his baser instincts it would be over all too soon he held back from that final thrust into the waiting heavenly passage to fulfillment. He wanted to make this last as long as his body would allow. If he could have eternity he would wish it to start in this moment.

"Oh God Christine. Love me. Please love me." Erik in his haze of lust with thoughts of another woman he did not feel her momentary stiffening. The moment was fleeting and passed almost as quickly as it came. The young woman had been used by men before to substitute for a fiancée who wouldn't contemplate a sexual relationship until after marriage. Some had frigid wives or a loved wife who's health could not withstand intimacy any longer. Many reasons had driven her lovers to her bed. Never had it been love. Most didn't even care for her at all except the pleasure her luscious curves gave them. She had long ago given up on the idea of finding love. She was sure it didn't exist. It was just something fictional poets and romantics made up to excuse the passion they felt and the expression of that passion with physical deeds.

Her own parents had proven to be less than faithful to one another. Each had partners coming and going in a constant stream for gratification. Love was never an issue. Susan had decided long ago that if she was going to married off to someone she didn't know let alone love she would have as much fun in her life as she could. Many lovers had come and gone but none took her heart with them. She guarded that most sacred organ diligently. Tonight may well be her last night to indulge herself as her fiancée was supposed to meet her in London if his business affairs were settled in Italy.

With one hard strong thrust Erik entered the warm depths of a woman for the first time. With that entrance into a heaven he had never known he lost all his control and his thrusts and groans of pleasure were the only sounds in the room. One last shred of sane thought and he remembered to pleasure her even as the moment of his own climax neared.

His hand between them found her little pearl of pleasure. He stroked his finger in unison with the strokes of his body. He found he got the most pleasure if he pulled out of her to almost the point of separation and then driving into her with a hard thrust of his hips. With each thrust her groans grew louder and more prolonged. She was writhing under him in a frenzied manner.

Images from the past spent with Christine flew across his memory. With each memory an intense wave of pleasure gripped him. Soon he was thrusting into the woman with rapid hard strokes. Each stroke harder than the one before causing the flame to burn hotter in his entire body. Soon his thrusts were almost violent in nature. His hands were groping her firm breasts with ungentle hands. His mouth sucked on her delicate skin. His teeth nipped little bites along her neck and on the puckered tips of her breasts. The taste of her was sweeter than any honey more heady than any wine. His Christine was one fuck he would not soon forget. His desire intensified as he repeated over and over in his mind that last sane thought. His tender feelings for his beloved were overshadowed by his baser longings. No he did not make love to his beloved. He fucked her as any stagehand had ever fucked one of the ballet rats who were so free with their young lithe bodies.

Erik lifted one of her legs by wrapping his hand around her thigh so his penetration could be deeper within her warm feminine entrance to heaven. He was sheathed in warm wet womanhood. The coil tightened in him even as he felt the body beneath him stiffen and heard her cry out his name at the end of her tortured journey. He felt her tighten around him deep inside her wetness. The clenching of her muscles in her climax added to his pleasure and drove him to the point he knew he had reached what his whole body had been striving to achieve. His teeth clenched flexing his jaw muscles. His teeth were clamped to tightly his jaw began to ache. That little bit of discomfort was overtaken by the intensity of lustful pleasure shooting to every nerve ending. He felt more alive than at any other time in his life. A few hard strokes and Erik quickly followed with his own release. He spilled his warm seed into her waiting womb.

Not wanting the moment to end he continued to thrust into her and in his mind he was hearing Christine's gasps of fulfillment ringing in his ears. Needing to catch his breath he finally withdrew himself from her. He lay beside the woman gasping for breath with his eyes closed not wanting to return to reality any time soon. The image of Christine lying beneath him replete with spent passion and her eyes glowing with renewed lust for him too enticing to discard for reality.

The feminine form next to him was still and quiet. Only the rise and fall of her chest giving evidence she lived. Her eyes were closed and her mouth had a small smile lingering at the edges of her lips. Tendrils of sweat dampened hair clung to her forehead and cheek. Erik thought he had never seen a more beautiful sight. He reached out with a shaking hand and brushed the hair from her cheek. Her skin was so soft and warm. Erik's skin tended to be slightly colder than a normal persons. Nadir surmised it was because of living so long in dark and damp surroundings. Susan did not seem to mind. She had not shied away like Christine had.

Knowing this could be his one and only chance to be with a woman Erik planned to take advantage of his time with her. Sleep would no longer be welcomed. He had much exploration and experimentation to pursue. He did not seek slumber now. His body was too fired with want and need. A satisfying climax after thrusting wildly into her softness tamed the beast of his raging desire for only a moment. A few caresses on her dewy wet curves had him swollen and aching for that mad rush to feel all control slip away and the raging, gripping ride to the pinnacle of pleasure overtake him again. Then feel the fast plunge downward releasing his hot seed into her warm embracing womanhood.

Rolling onto his left side he tentatively placed his hand on her stomach. He had plans of taking her several more times and examining each curve and crevice if she allowed it. He wanted as much as he could have to take with him in memory of this night. If it was to be his only encounter or if as he suspected he was drugged he would have his memories. He no longer thought he was dreaming as his dreams had never been of the pleasant sort. They tended to be more nightmare than calming pleasant dreams. This was more like one of his daydreams as he pleasured himself after seeing a particularly attractive woman in the opera house. Clothed or unclothed Erik had an appreciation for the beauty of women. Countless times he came upon a half naked woman in dark corners or storage rooms spread out waiting for a lover to join her. Who was Erik to turn down these gifts of glimpsing smooth feminine flesh? He would look his fill hidden in the dark shadows then rush to the privacy of his bedroom to release his desires with hard fast strokes of his hand.

Not able to resist he found her moist center between her warm folds of skin at the apex of her thighs. The gliding of his finger over the little erect nub forced a groan from Susan's throat. Her hips lifted to find that stroking finger again. She felt the friction again. The flash of heat that coursed through her body shocked her in its intensity. Never had a lover taken the time to give her so much. So few of her lovers wanted anything more than a quick fuck and then to run back to the one who owned their heart. This man had given her more pleasure in the last half hour than all the lovers she had the last six years. God he was amazing.

Erik watched her face as he inserted his finger into her. To be allowed this liberty was a gift. Surely he had never thought to be given a privilege such as this. The look on her face resembled someone in extreme pain. Her panting quickened in time with the tempo of his finger strokes. Her hips raising to meet that stroking finger and ride the ones inserted inside her. Soon she was begging Erik to give her that sweet release. Her promises of giving him anything he desired had his mind debating what new delights he could have her grant him. The possibilities were endless. One came to mind. Almost in the same instant he took her hand and placed it on his throbbing erection. Those talented hands brought him to a quick climax.

Washing her after his release was a sensual experience itself. He made sure he cleaned each and every inch. A woman's body was such a pleasurable sight. This intimacy had been denied him all his adult life. From the top of their head to the tip of their toes a woman radiated magic. He found this woman a complete delight.

Her crying out in ecstasy at his touch gave him a powerful feeling. To have someone under his control in this way was heady and intoxicating. The power was similar to what he felt as he took the life of someone with his lasso. Her joy and his were one and the same. What pleased her pleased him as well.

Giving her time to rest Erik absentmindedly caressed her learning each inch of soft pliable skin. He did not want to seem a rutting animal so he waited what to him seemed an unbearable amount of time but was only a mere five minutes before making his intentions to have her again known to the woman. The delighted smile was unexpected but welcome. Erik wanted to learn all the ways to pleasure a woman and at the same time satisfy his own needs. He had heard enough chorus girls and ballerinas behind the stage backdrops and in the passages of the opera house complain of inconsiderate lovers. Just as a precaution should he meet a woman who allowed him these liberties again he wanted no ill thoughts on his prowess to be bandied about.

Many times during the night Erik sought out the willing woman in his bed. After a short time it no longer seemed appropriate to envision Christine. Susan was a knowledgeable woman and was not shy about making her wants and likes known. He waited for her to inform him of what she liked to perform with a man and what she did not like. Amazingly she had no dislikes that he could discern. She seemed willing and he could proudly say quite enthusiastic to all of his suggestions.

When her mouth performed an act he had not deemed quite proper he protested but his baser instincts won out and he happily returned the act for which she was most grateful. He filed this act away in the back of his mind to be retrieved later. This was one act he found highly arousing and greatly satisfying.

After the sixth time of being together she protested that she was tired and her body was getting quite sore. Erik was primed and ready to climb the heady heights of bliss but had to cool his ardor. He had hopes of an early morning lovemaking session and an idea that he might like to try a romp in the tub if she was willing. She may think him a lecherous man but he had many years of deprivation to make up for. He intended to grab as much from this willing creature of bliss as he could before their time together ended.

To his delight she was agreeable to the early morning lovemaking and his suggestion for the tub. Both were highly successful. Thank the Lord above he was no longer a virgin was his last thought as they drifted into sleep early in the morning following the most satisfying bathing experience of his life. Neither woke again until late afternoon.

The cabin boy he summoned to bring water for their second bath almost broke his young neck trying to see who the woman was that was lying there stretched out on his bed. Laying on her stomach with her hair fanned out over her face prevented him from seeing anything except her shoulders and dark hair.

Try as he might Erik could not stop his chest from puffing out in pride. Ugly Erik, The Phantom had a willing woman in his bed and she did more than give him two torturous kisses on the lips that left him wanting. Christine's paltry offerings upon his lips before she left him dimmed somewhat in light of what he had experienced the night before and this morning.

After the young man had brought the final bucket of water Erik scooped Susan up and took her to the bathroom. He lowered her carefully into the water and waited for an invitation to join her for their second shared bath. Just because they spent the last hours passionately entwined he would not presume to assume he would be welcome to share a bath once again with her although that was one delight he longed to share again. Two dark lust filled orbs stared at him from her glowing face. With a searching glance up and down his body she smiled in open invitation. Her dainty hand stretched out and took hold of his. From there he let his fantasy take over once more. It was all he could have hoped for and more. Who knew that soaping another person could be so damn arousing?

Had they not had to get ready for their departure from the ship later they would have spent the day in bed. He must not have been too much of a disappointment as she gave him the address of her residence in England and a card of introduction to hand to her butler should he find time to visit her. The only thing to keep him from seeing that wonderful woman again would be if the earth caught fire and blew them all to kingdom come.

"Erik you do realize that within a matter of a few hours it will be all over the ship that we spent the night together? Simple deduction and the cabin boy can discover who was missing at the breakfast table. Along with the fact that our own tablemates will think it odd that we both missed breakfast. These people do seem to love gossip and live to spread it among themselves and the other passengers. I hope you don't mind. My reputation is already in ruins but I would hate to see someone else suffer because of my bad name."

She was worried about him? A man who had taken many lives and burned an opera house full of people almost to the ground? It would have been laughable if it were not so tragic. If she only knew what sort of man she had spent the night with she would more than likely turn white haired from the fright and pass out, not recovering until the ship had docked.

It was sweet of her to be concerned though. Other than a handful of people there had been no one to care if he lived or died. It felt good to have someone care even if it were a fleeting sentiment.

After she dressed she kissed him with renewed passion and he was tempted to say to hell with seeing the shore of England approach. After all he had seen it before. How many times would a man such as he get the opportunity to lay with a woman such as the one in his arms? Hell, after his failure with Christine he had doubts of ever savoring the loving embrace of a woman. During the night he had learned that she may present a façade of an uncaring reckless pleasure seeker but deep down she was just a sweet scared young woman. She was far from being the heartless carefree loose woman she showed the world. Reluctantly he let her leave. To release her from his arms was almost harder and more painful than letting Christine go and watching as her lover rowed her away from him to freedom.

Shaking off his melancholy he renewed his promise to himself to begin again. Perhaps now he would find the courage to seek companionship from another woman. God had granted him the miracle once and if it did not seem greedy maybe he would grant him the pleasure again. Perhaps with happier results.

Just to further reassure himself he not had a drug induced euphoric experience he pulled out the little leather pouch from his luggage and checked the contents. There were still five vials in the case so he had not been drugged. He had not resorted to morphine. This was concrete evidence that he had indeed had a woman in every way possible in his bed the night before and in the early morning hours as the sun chased away the shadows of night.

He couldn't help the foolish grin he had plastered on his face as he left his cabin after dressing and packing the few items he had around the cabin. As hard as he tried that stupid grin refused to stay in hiding. Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror Erik was shocked to think that by God he looked almost handsome. Hoping Nadir would attribute his unusual good sprits to the fact that he was starting life over with a clean slate Erik left his cabin.

Nadir had his own idea of what had taken place in Erik's cabin. An all too eager young cabin boy had let slip he had seen a woman in Erik's cabin and she had been obviously without clothing. For a few coins Nadir got a thorough recounting of all that the young man had witnessed. This information was most enlightening. Nadir planned to use the information to teach Erik a lesson in teasing. Something that had been too long neglected in his life. Nadir hoped Erik had developed a less vengeful nature over the last few months. He had been very obliging and reasonable lately.

Erik should have known Nadir would ferret out anything of interest happening on the ship. The man had a sixth sense when it came to digging up things people wished to hide. He had after all been the head of an elite Persian police force.

Damn Nadir and his prying. He was intrigued by Erik's never before seen foolish grin and the fact that he had slept late. In his embarrassment at his question of where Erik had been during breakfast and tea later he had let slip he had been in bed. He need not know Erik was not alone. Damn him and his bloodhound skills. One look at Erik's face and a huge grin spread across Nadir's lips. Erik was sure Nadir knew something and was just playing with him trying to draw him out into openly admitting to his late night activities.

"So Erik how was your night? Strange that you and Susan Manchester were the only two missing this morning. You wouldn't have happened to have seen her this morning would you? Word around the ship is she did not return to her cabin last night but she was seen just a few minutes ago entering her cabin."

Nadir noticed Erik's uncomfortable shifting and unwillingness to look him in the eye. A telling gesture. If one could not look another in the eye they were lying or hiding something. The shifting about was a telling sign that Erik had something to hide. He had that one nervous quirk when he had done something he knew would cause himself discomfort if others knew his secret or it was something he did not wish to share. Nadir had to look twice to reaffirm that his eyes were not deceiving him. Erik was blushing. A pink tinge was slowly creeping up his neck into his cheeks. They had actually done the deed. The evidence was all there in front of his own eyes. Nadir had been a witness of Erik's second blush. Amazing!

"How the hell should I know where that young woman is. I am not her keeper. Have I suddenly become a chaperone? Has someone hired me as a child minder? If so, someone failed to inform me or offer me ample compensation. What business is it of yours or anyone else's where she was or when she returned to her cabin?"

"My aren't we in a temper this morning? I asked simple questions Erik. Nothing that warrants this level of anger. Did you not sleep well Erik? Odd thing is you look extremely well rested and miracles of all miracles you had a real smile on your face and not your normal sneer. With this level of protest you sound as if you have something to hide or maybe you are feeling guilty for some reason. As we both know Mademoiselle Manchester is many years from being a child. I am inclined to believe she has never had such innocence."

"I care nothing for your beliefs or opinions. Are you so bored this morning you must delve into the comings and goings of others? If you must know I do not smirk. I have done nothing that would cause me guilt. I rested quite well thank you. My temper as you call it is no more than irritation with you because of your incessant questions. Now I think I have answered all of them. Are you entirely happy now Nadir?"

"Not completely but we can remedy that with a little more details from you."

Nadir saw the lovely lady in question coming up behind Erik. The grin on her face matched the one on Erik's earlier. When she stopped at Erik's side he had a suspicion how Erik had spent his night and early morning. His earlier deductions were reinforced. May Allah be praised for his unfailing mercy. That young woman was going to earn a place in her heaven he was sure. He could not even care that she had spent the night acting less than a lady. To him she was a heaven sent answer to a prayer.

"Erik I just wanted to be sure you had not lost the card I gave you or my address. We did get a little side tracked during the exchange not that I minded one bit. You kept me occupied most satisfactorily." The whole time she had been speaking her hands were tightly wrapped around Erik's upper right arm as if she were afraid he might bolt if she did not hold him still. Looking at his face Nadir thought that was precisely what Erik had on his mind. If that young bounder thought he was going to get away without giving him details he was quite mistaken. If Nadir had to hound his steps until they departed from the ship Erik would tell him what had occurred. In great detail.

Nadir could only look on in wonder as Erik patted his vest pocket and assured her he had it safely tucked away. The breath whooshed from Nadir in surprise as the young woman reached up and as bold as you please kissed Erik on his equally surprised mouth. It was not a quick peck on the cheek. No, that young woman kissed Erik on his mouth with familiarity and quite a bit of passion. Nadir could not miss the wandering hands of the little harlot.

When Erik was released from her encircling arms and she turned and walked away Darius and Nadir both stood in silent expectation of an explanation. Their folded arms across their chests indicating they were willing to wait for him to divulge the information they sought. They had plenty of time and no particular place to be at this moment.

Taking his eyes away from her retreating back he turned back to face Nadir and Darius. They looked as if ready to stand there until both of them died or Erik gave them the information they wanted. He hoped to play innocent and ignorant of what they wanted.

"What? Am I not properly dressed? Did I forget something? Does my vest not match my suit? Have I still a bit of shaving cream on my face?" He ran his hands down over his suit and over his freshly shaven face. He straightened an already immaculate cravat.

"Erik you are a sly one to be sure. I had hopes you would brave a conversation with the woman but this is beyond anything I could have imagined. So how was the encounter? Leave nothing out. Go into great detail. Spare me nothing. As you know I do not indulge as I still mourn for my wife but I am not against second hand pleasure."

"I have no idea what fantasy is in your mind Nadir. I spent a quite boring evening and fell asleep early."

"Then you must have done the deed wrong. A man does not let a woman looking like that young lady leave his bed unless she was not happy with his performance. Too bad my friend. Perhaps you will fair better the next time as you have now broken the ice so to speak. Do not worry all men have a night of failure now and again. I am sure your disappointing performance will in no way change her mind about you." Nadir placed a comforting hand on Erik's shoulder casting his head downward to hide the knowing grin from Erik's eagle eyes.

Erik shook of the hand on his shoulder in anger. "What the hell are you spouting off about now? My night was quite vigorous and I can assure you I met the task quite energetically. I made love to that young woman in ways you can only imagine. Failure indeed. I performed amazingly well judging by the moans escaping her mouth each time we were together. If I had not pleased her she would not have given me her address in London and a card of introduction." Indignantly Erik pulled out the card Susan had given him and waved it under Nadir's nose.

Nadir could stand it no longer. He burst out laughing and Darius joined in. Nadir knew Erik's arrogant pride would not let a slight to his manhood pass without comment.

"Erik if there is one thing predictable about you it is your pride. Now enough of your denials. Tell me all the details without getting overly graphic. I should be advising you that a gentleman never divulges what happens with his lady behind closed doors of the bedroom. Just this once I will break my own set of values and ask how the evening progressed and was it all you had hoped?"

"As I have said before Nadir you are becoming more and more like a gossipy old woman every day. I do not think I shall bore you with the details of my night. All I will say is I can no longer wear white at my wedding as I have been deflowered."

"That custom is for the bride not the groom. Is this your way of telling me you experienced the joys of flesh to flesh with that young woman?"

"Take the words any way you please. I shall not say one more word about the matter. Now unless you have some other topic of conversation I would like to enjoy watching the shoreline come into view."

"So I am to suffer in my disappointment. Might I remind you that you are indebted to me for giving five long torturous years in that hell of a prison so that you could escape the Shah's wrath as well as that demented mother of his? Oh how I suffered. Day in and day out I endured but if you do not think that five years of torture were enough to have your gratitude then I guess there is nothing more I can say except you break my heart Erik."

"You forget Nadir I am aware that you spent your "years of torture" in a palace with servants waiting on you hand and foot. You were too important to kill and much too well liked to be mistreated by the Shah. If the Shah had been dead then your days would have been endless torture if you had been left in the hands of his bloodthirsty mother. Thankfully she had no say in your punishment. Now I think we have settled the matter so no more questions and no more attempts to gain my sympathy. You are erring on the side of femininity with each passing day Nadir. That is something I think you may want to curtail."

"You are an ungrateful lout. I only ask for a crumb of sympathy and you make fun at my expense. You wound me. You wound me deeply. My heart bleeds at your cutting remarks." Nadir looked at Erik hopefully.

"I still am not revealing any details. Might I suggest you take a few acting lessons Nadir. You could use the guidance. If my schedule is not too full I will be free to help with this matter."

"Ungrateful lout."

"Yes you have told me so many times."

"Well you are. You are completely without gratitude."

"Yes I am aware."

As much as Nadir badgered and harangued him during the last leg of the voyage Erik kept his word and divulged not one thing more about the night before. This was something Erik wanted to savor in the privacy of his mind for many days to come. This was his triumph and his alone. He had threatened no one. Begged not one time. He had not kidnapped anyone or forced the union. Everything had been done willingly. Something Christine had never been. Not one time had she willingly sought him out. He had always come to her and then entranced her with his voice and music to come to his home. Once the music and song were but echoes in his cavernous home she wanted nothing more than to return to her room above.

This was a good start to his new beginning. As the coastline of England came into view Erik wondered what other wonders were in store for him. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply the fresh ocean air. The air he breathed in his new freedom. Never again would he be a ghost. Now he was a man. He would live as one from this day forward. Forever in the light. Never would he revere the dark over the brightness of light. He had a fresh new outlook on life. He would savor each new experience as if there were no tomorrow. Who knew how long this newfound happiness would last? Any time in he had hoped for a small scrap of happiness it had always been just out of his grasp. Not any longer. It was his turn to live the life as other men do. As Raoul does. The name dimmed his happiness but only for a moment. Today he began a new era in his life. One where he got the things he wanted. He would no longer live and be denied the things he wanted in life. He felt almost reborn.


	7. Chapter 6

**Warning: Character suicide. Violence.**

**Chapter Six**

**Ruthless Dealings**

The three men spoke English fluently but each had strong accents of their native language. They understood each other quite well but others who were not acquainted with them found it hard to understand their heavily accented English. Erik made a point for the three of them to practice each evening. Erik learned so well he could pass for an English squire.

Erik and his companions stayed at a luxurious hotel for the first two weeks until suitable permanent lodgings could be found. This meant viewing countless homes and estates. With Erik's ingrained sense of perfection in all things around him he was most particular what he wanted in his new home.

Erik at last settled on a small but regal home surrounded by twenty acres of lush grassy fields. The home was red brick . The cobbled drive ran from the public roadway all the way to the front of the home. Six foot high windows stretched across the front of the structure allowing light to filter into every room. It had five bedrooms with hot and cold running water. The coal furnace kept the home warm and heated the water for the bathrooms and needs of the kitchen. Modern bathrooms had been installed by the previous owner. Erik was glad to see the modern flushing toilets. He always cringed when he had to use the chamber pots under the opera house. The process for ridding his home of the waste was most unpleasant. A task he did not mind giving up to modern convenience.

The beautiful music room with the grand piano was what won Erik over. The older couple decided to leave the piano to the new owner as their new home in London was much too small for such a large instrument. The call of his music had him sitting on the piano bench before the couple had finished explaining it was their sons piano and he had gotten married.

It had been in perfect tune. The music coming from his mind to his fingers entrancing all within listening distance. Oh how he missed his organ. The piano was fine for refined pieces but true basic emotions came alive with the push of his fingers on each key and the pressure of his foot on each foot pedal beneath his organ. The organ could blast sound so it could be heard in the corridors of the opera house vibrating glass and shaking knick knacks on the tops of furniture. When he had played the opera house knew the ghost was present and stirring. Making his presence known to all those little ballet rats and late night wanderers. Making them quake in their shoes, shiver in their beds, fear the very mention of the Opera Ghost or Phantom.

Erik settled quite well into the country life. Nadir was glad he could talk Erik into evenings spent at the opera or simply enjoying a meal out. Erik flourished in this new life. All too quickly he wanted to spend most evenings out enjoying the nightlife of London. Nadir grew tired of the constant need for stimulation. He enjoyed a night out like anyone else but he also found pleasure in a quiet night with a good book in front of a roaring fire. There were only a few issues Nadir had that worried him about Erik's behavior. Erik had taken to gambling like a duck to water. He was very adroit at cards and other games of chance. The old adage "unlucky at cards lucky in love" proved to be true. Erik never lost but a few times and never more than what he had won on the previous evening.

Another concern was Erik's business ethics. Not that he was dishonest. He simply had no compassion for other people's misfortune. Upon finding his home Erik had sought out a way to use his talents with investments. Since Christine nor music no longer consumed his every waking moment he needed a challenge to occupy his voracious appetite for knowledge and challenge. He found a banker who was going under due to poor lending practices and an unwillingness to force payment on delinquent debts. Erik had no such compunction. He was a most frightening man when he faced a person who owed money. He was deaf to all pleading and begging for leniency. Some of the stories Nadir heard broke his heart but when he asked if Erik could not once in a while show a bit of compassion he staunchly stated that sentimentality had no place in business. He supposed that is why Nadir himself was not in business. He invested in other's abilities to run a business and left management to those who were harder of heart than he. Like Erik.

Nadir feared that Erik may be slipping back into his old ways. He slept most of the day away and stayed up all night at the gaming halls or the theatre. Sometimes he took Susan with him if her fiancée was not in town. Nadir found Erik's hidden morphine. Risking Erik's wrath he disposed of the vile substance. Other than grousing about people going through his personal things Erik let the matter drop. More than likely it had more do with Erik's new addictions of gambling and carousing than acceptance of Nadir overstepping the boundaries of what was appropriate behavior concerning other peoples privacy.

Nadir worried about that young woman, Susan Montgomery. Her feelings were becoming obvious to everyone but thickheaded Erik. When it came to the emotions of others Erik had no clue how to deal with this aspect of a relationship. He was polite and caring to a point but never showed any softer feelings for the young woman. For Erik she was just another learning tool. A willing specimen to study under close scrutiny. He took no notice that she was a warm woman with emotions. It was her misfortune to have fallen in love with Erik. He did not return her feelings. Not that he was cruel. No, he was just aloof unless they were headed into a bedroom. Erik had become quite a cad. To Nadir's utter shock Erik supported four other women and one would assume shared their beds. His bed at home remained cold and unoccupied more nights than not until almost the first light of dawn then he would slink in and crawl into his own bed.

With every dollar added to his coffers Erik's coldness seemed to grow. It was as if each coin received from the despair of others purchased a portion of his soul a piece at a time. With every copper earned the coin wedged a further breech between Erik and his humanity. Nadir was not overly concerned as yet as he felt he was just catching up on all the things he had missed and they could work on his more tender side when he grew used to having all that other men have. Soon he would realize that not only wealth and good times were all a man needed to sustain him. He had to feed his soul occasionally to be truly happy. If neglected a person's soul will wither leaving them with an empty vessel for company. A body needs a soul to be truly alive.

Now he had more worries. Darius and Nadir read the paper each day. They scrutinized each section concerning the social world. They did this each morning before they allowed Erik to read one line of news. The incident when he found out about Christine's and Raoul's marriage scared them enough to make them cautious of a further attempt of suicide should there be any news of the Vicomte and Vicomtesse.

Nadir was at the breakfast table enjoying his poached eggs and toast when Darius entered the dining room with more haste than was required. The look on his face did not bode well for a peaceful meal. Lowering his fork he waited for the death knell to ring out ending the happiness Erik had found even if he was becoming a person with less than charitable inclinations. Erik was becoming quite vicious with poor Susan and her clinging ways. He could handle things with a little more tact. Soon Nadir would confront him with the truth and shake some sense into him if he did not come to that conclusion on his own.

"Nadir I just read it only just moments ago. I still am finding it hard to comprehend. She's coming. She's coming here within the next few weeks. It is written in black and white. Can you believe the bad luck? This is Erik's karma catching up with him. A couple month's grace at most. By all that is holy we can not let this happen. He has come so far. What do you think of that?" Darius could only shake the paper in his hand close to Nadir's face almost clipping him with the edge. If he had his wits about him he would never have behaved in such a manner.

Nadir was prepared for the worst tragedy to befall them. Darius had called him Nadir and the usually imperturbable man was clearly upset and distraught.

"Calm down my friend and tell me what has brought about this case of nerves. I surmise this has something to do with Christine. As I have yet to read one word how can I voice an opinion? If you would stop using the paper as a fan I might be able to read what has upset you so much."

Darius tucked the paper under his arm then placed his hands together in prayer and raised his eyes heavenward. "In the paper this morning is an article stating a Madame Christine de Changy known on the stage as Christine Daae will be coming to London to perform within the next few weeks. At the most it will be a couple of months grace. The last minute details are being settled. What will this mean for Master Erik?" Finished with his verbal tirade Darius grabbed the paper from under his arm and began waving it about again.

Tearing the offending paper from the firm grasp of Darius, Nadir proceeded to read. What he read made the blood freeze momentarily in his veins. The cold hand of dread squeezed his heart. Erik had come far but the mere mention of that little she-devil's name drove him to horrible tantrums and days of moping and pining. They had become very clever in their ways to keep Erik from hearing one scrap of gossip about that young siren. They had even made Susan an unwitting pawn. On days when news of the noble couple appeared in the paper they simply invited the young woman to breakfast, lunch and dinner many days to avoid Erik reading the paper. They had no worries she would let something slip as that young woman had fallen so hard for Erik that the last thing on her mind when she was with him was the news or gossip of other couples. Both Nadir and Darius felt shame using her in this fashion. It only encouraged her affections but it was a weapon that succeeded and one they used often.

_**Why did this have to happen now? **_He had prayed that Erik would have a few years of recovery before having to face his demon who wore the sweet face of an innocent young woman. In the months since the tragic incident Nadir had come to think that Christine was a sort of plague. Everyone she touched came to an unhappy end. Tragedy and heartbreak followed in her footsteps. Erik was one of her unfortunate victims. The massive audience in attendance for the performance of Don Juan Triumphant were a far greater number of victims caught in the web created by Erik's love and insanity and Christine's inability to tell Erik firmly she wanted no more of his lessons or his favor. All the tragedy could have been avoided with a few soft spoken words to end her association with her Angel of Music but she chose to continue to give into Erik's madness. Most of the time he tended to think the woman encouraged Erik's obsession receiving some sort of pleasure from his devotion and blinding love. The result of a meeting now was too painful to contemplate for there was still the chance of something similar happening again. One meeting with that young woman could undo all they had accomplished.

"Sit please Darius. I can not think with you hovering over me. We must put our heads together and find a solution to this new dilemma."

"Perhaps it is time to move on. Master Erik did say this was only a temporary stop until he found a direction he wished to take. Now could be the precise time to think of moving in a new direction."

"I think perhaps you are correct. It will not be easy to pull Erik from this new life he has. He is most comfortable now. He will be unwilling to change in fear of losing what he has gained. As much as I hate do it we must once again use dear Susan. Erik must be convinced that she has been hinting to us that they are going to formalize their relationship. Since she broke her engagement it should prove fairly easy to convince Erik she expects more than what he is willing to give."

"He will not harm the young miss will he? I would hate to have that on my conscience. I have been having dreams of disaster the last few days. I have not been able to see exactly what is going to happen but it involved Erik and another man. I sensed violence and death. Master Erik would never harm a woman. I am most sure of this. Would he Master Nadir?" The tone in Darius' voice made it clear he was not completely certain at all of Erik's resolve to not harm a woman.

Darius had not spoken with any strength of conviction Nadir noticed. Was Erik capable of harm to a woman? A strike across the cheek is the most violent act Nadir had seen him commit against a woman. That had been in Russia before they went to Persia. A fire had broken out in a housing unit and several people were trapped. A little girl no more that three had been leaning out of a window crying for her mother. Erik had not hesitated to climb the burning building and enter through a balcony at the side of the building. He fought through all the flames and saved the youngster. Erik had risked his life for that child that he had not even known.

Instead of being grateful for having her child returned safely the ungrateful woman took one look at his mask and she became hysterical and attacked Erik accusing him of trying to kidnap her child. She had proceeded to claw and scratch him wherever her nails could find vulnerable skin. Fearing she would harm her own child he had sat the child down and drew his hand back and hit the woman with the back of his hand. His strike had held a little more force than he wanted and the woman was knocked unconscious. Erik's guilt ate at him for days afterwards no matter how many times Nadir reassured him he had no choice. The woman had been hysterical.

After an alcohol enduced euporia Erik swore he would never lay his hand on a woman again as long as he lived and as far as Nadir knew he had stood by his word.

After recounting this story to Darius he assured him with a firm belief that Erik would never lay a hostile hand on a woman again. Even in his present state of debauchery he believed Erik's word would still stand.

It was decided they would use the woman's blossoming love for Erik to get him to come to the conclusion it was time to move on. If Nadir believed in the devil he felt he had surely sold his soul to him.

So they began their campaign. They were both saddened by the necessary manipulation and had to hurt the first woman to love Erik and give him what he always wanted. It could not be helped. Erik simply did not love the woman and he needed to leave this country soon. Who knew what kind of terror Erik would let loose if that woman of doom came within his reach again?

Little by little Nadir let small remarks fall during conversations with Erik. At first Erik brushed off his remarks. Soon though Susan herself unwittingly enforced what he had been saying to Erik. The young woman began to demand more of his time and ask questions about how he spent his time when he was not with her. Erik would not stand for her prying.

One evening after spending several hours at the theatre and dining they were headed for Susan's home. The poor woman had no idea this would be the last time she saw Erik.

The coach slowed and Susan turned to Erik and asked, "Aren't you coming in? I had hoped you would spend the night. You never have before. I thought we might have breakfast together then have an early morning ride. I have some friends coming for lunch as well as my mother and father. I wanted them to meet you. I have told them about you and they are looking foreward to making your acqauintance."

Wanting to have sex but not wanting to spend the night Erik debated on how he should reply. He wanted the comfort and quiet of his own bed but needed a soft willing body. His animal urges needed to be stroked but his mind rejected the obligation to spend more time than was necessary to reach his goal.

He did not want to lie to her so he refrained from making any reply at all. He grabbed her roughly before she could turn to open the door of the carriage. Distraction should quiet her harping tongue. He kissed her deeply and roughly caressing her silk covered breasts. Her deep moan of desire gave proof to the success of his subterfuge. Releasing her he allowed her to step from the carriage. He got out of the carriage quickly. Roughly he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the front door. Entering the foray he kissed her heatedly pushing her cloak to the floor. Releasing her lips he stepped back. With a smile she turned and ran for the stairs. Without further thoughts in his head other than the lustful hours ahead he followed her to her bedroom. Her lovemaking was almost desperate that night. Erik knew he had to end his association with this woman. Nadir had been right in his assumption. Susan had let her emotions overtake her better judgment. Erik had warned her that he could not give her anything more than mutual sexual gratification. The foolish woman still thought she could change him.

The last few days Christine had been on his mind more than usual. For the past eight months he had been able to shove her memory to the back of his mind. When he kept himself occupied with other pursuits his thoughts of her were less frequent. Some inner sense of her was working on his mind. He could not get her out of his thoughts for more than an hour at a time. He had finally given in and allowed the memories and longings to rush over him. Most likely memories of Christine had put him in this mood of melancholy. He wanted to chase it away. Using Susan to aid in his forgetfulness was not gentlemanly but she was handy and all too willing.

Erik's thrusts into her softness were almost brutal that night. He had come across the damn ring Christine had returned to him while preparing for his evening out a few months ago. He bit her tender flesh. His hands bruised her breasts. Not once did he consider her pleasure. He brought her to a satisfying climax several times but not with his usual tenderness. His grunts and groans almost animalistic in his drive to satisfy the burning need in his loins. The drive for forgetfulness in passion road him gouging at his tender feelings, shoving them away to be replaced by the harsh cravings for sexual gratification.

Susan had barely caught her breath when Erik was plunging into her again. Something was driving him, whipping him into a frenzy of need. She knew it wasn't her he needed. Any body would have given him the same satisfaction. She wouldn't even have to be beautiful. All Erik required was a warm willing woman. Hell, as badly as he needed the sex she felt he wouldn't have taken no for an answer. Not that she would ever think of denying him.

Despite his crass treatment she did enjoy this rough lovemaking at first. His fingers had plunged in and out as he worked her nub of pleasure. The orgasms were almost unbearable in their intensity. She felt herself shatter when his hard shaft drove into her. With each demanding stroke she climbed higher and higher on the peak to that final burning wave of bliss.

For the first time he was verbal as he entered her. The closer he came to his climax the fouler his language became. That night she was a "fucking whore". His goal being "to fuck her senseless". Other phrases he spoke in the heat of passion made even Susan blush. Susan didn't mind words of lust but these were frightening her a little as Erik had never been so uncontrolled before. Never had he used words such as these or been so forceful in his possession of her. Of course he was intense at times in his drive to reach a climax. Erik had always been a gentleman in his lovemaking.

Erik was trying to remove all thoughts of Christine. He loved her still but could not live and imagine her doing to Raoul what he did with Susan. Now he had the tangible reminder of her around his neck on a gold chain. For the last few months he had not been able to remove the memory of that pitiful gift from his angel. He had stolen the ring from her lovely neck the night of the Gala. Raoul's engagement ring. The ring Erik had again forced on her finger in his mock wedding in the dark cellars on the night of Don Juan Triumphant. Damn if that little temptress did not come back and curl his unresisting fingers around that same ring. Then she turned her back on him leaving him in tears and awaiting death at the hands of the mob.

Giving into his release Erik removed himself from Susan with one final grinding of his hips and a grunt of satisfaction. While waiting for his breath to slow he contemplated what he could say to ease the blasted woman from his life.

He heard her slow even breathing. At last she slept. He could slip out and avoid the ugliness of confronting her for another night.

Having gotten what he came for Erik retrieved his clothing and proceeded to dress quietly. He hoped to be gone before Susan woke. A confrontation with an angry woman was not something he wanted to deal with at the moment. His business decisions were giving him enough turmoil. Now he had to start the process of selling all his holdings in order to leave the country. Once he left England he had no wish to return. It would be better to take what cash he could amass and start fresh. America had been appealing to him more each time he and Susan had a converstion that ended with her having hurt feelings. Erik felt as if he beat an adoring puppy when he could not return her words of love. The tear drenched cheeks haunted him for days afterward. He should not feel this guilt for he had warned her but guilt was present non the less. Not enough for him to stay out of a sense of remorse. Just enough for him to feel uncomfortable.

A groggy sleep filled voice haulted his movements for a moment. "Erik what are you doing? I thought you were spending the night for once? Is it too much to ask? I don't ask for much. All I want is to introduce you to my friends and family."

"What purpose would this introducton serve? It would only lead to the false assumption that we were more than lovers. That is even if they allowed me in their home after viwing my charming good looks. It might be a good time for us to say our farewells."

Erik's voice grated with a hint of anger and frustration because he had not been allowed to leave without this bothersome recounting of her wants, needs and feelings. Damn women. Damn every one of them. If she were a man he would solve the problem with a quick twist of his Punjab lasso. Erik admitted he had not fallen that far from grace. Fortunate for her but unfortunate for Erik's temper which he hung onto barely by a thin gossamer thread. Never had he taken the life of a woman and he would not start this night.

"Erik you can't mean that. I thought things were going well. Haven't I been good to you? Given you everything you asked? I openly acknowledge we are lovers. I sacrificed my future for you. I gave up the man I had been engaged to. Do you know how hard it will be for me to find someone willing to be with me now? Marriage is highly unlikely for me now."

"Find another poor soul who can not be too choosey in his choice of a bedmate. I do thank you for the many nights of passion but now it is time to move on. Surely you knew this night would arrive at some point? I made myself clear from the start. My heart belongs to another and all that we share is a few stolen moments in the dark when the urge becomes to great to ignore."

He spoke these cruel words without a glance in her direction. If he had looked he would have seen the light of hope diminish in her eyes. He would not have missed the pain etched on her face. The shimmer of tears barely held back by thick lashes. If he had looked he would have seen but not cared at all for her hurt or her sorrow. All his mind was concentrated on gathering his belongings and removing himself from a situation that was quickly becoming uncomfortable.

Checking to make sure he had his wallet and pocket watch Erik headed for the door. Not once did he glance back. Now that it was over he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He would miss her warm body but her clinging ways had begun to grate on his nerves. She had made it harder to fantisize that she was Christine with all her demands of conversation during intimate moments. Susan always had to be reassured he was pleased with her. Her demands for more of his time were becoming harder to avoid as he had used every excuse he could manufacture to avoid her on evenings he wished for the company of another. Erik found he liked variety in his women. One no longer met his bodies cravings. In all his life he never had a moment when he thought he would have the trouble of juggling more than one woman. Oddity of oddities he had four women at present showing him their favors. Not low class women of the street but noble bluebloods. It would seem women love a rake now and then. A hint of danger and interest is sparked. Add the glitter of diamonds and a wallet stuffed with cash and many women would lay down and spread their legs even for him.

With his hand on the door Susan made another useless plea, "Erik please you can't go. I love you. If you leave I'll have nothing. I don't even care about your other women. You thought I didn't know but they were all too willing to rub my face in your affairs. Because I love you I turned a blind eye. I debased myself for you. Not once have I ever said one word about your face."

Erik paused with his hand on the doorknob. "Susan you were well on your way to becoming a whore when I met you. Our association has not changed anything. You were used goods then and you are still used goods. Each time we have sex I am picturing another. Not once did we make love. We had sex. Simple animal gratification of animalistic lust."

"Oh God Erik how can you be so cruel and uncaring? Have I not meant anything to you? These past months have been nothing to you? If you leave my life is as good as over. Nothing will have any meaning for me. I swear if you walk out that door I will be dead by night fall."

"That would be foolish but if that is your decision so be it. You will not succeed in blackmailing me. Think before you take the final step. You will see I am not worthy of your affection. Good-bye Susan. I am grateful for your kindness to me in a time when my soul was in turmoil and in danger of being lost forever."

"Is it Christine? Is she coming back? Do you know how many times I heard you call her name when it should have been my name on your lips? Even that insult I overlooked."

Erik whipped around and strode back to the bed with anger in each step. He grasped her hair and pulled her face up to his. He saw pure terror in her eyes for the first time. A little of the old rush of power came back as he placed is hands around her throat and began to squeeze. To hold another's life in your hands is a powerful drug. Not a drug made by man but by nature. Her hands came up to claw at the tightening grip of his gloved fingers. Her face began to turn red. Blue tinged her lips. One minute more and Erik could add another victim to his long list of past sins.

"You could never compare to my angel. You are as the dirt under my feet when compared to her. Do you think I could have stood your whining and clinging this long without replacing your face with hers? You are pathetic. No woman who had an ounce of self respect would allow themselves to be treated as I treated you. You are like a bitch in heat. No matter what I did you came begging for more spreading your legs in willing supplication."

Making one last plea, knowing he would still reject her Susan opened herself for the final stab to the heart bringing death to her hopes for a future with Erik. In fact a future at all hung in the balance of the next few moments and what words would pass Erik's lips.

"I love you Erik. Surely you know that? We can even be married. I'll make you a good wife I swear. You can even continue with your other women. I love you that much. I am willing to share you for just a little of your time. A kind word now and then. Nothing means more to me than you. You're my life."

"Then my dear you have a pathetic life to hold me as the most dear thing in your life. Perhaps the next man or the one after that will find your charms irresistible. I do not. I could barely tolerate you these last few weeks. Do you know why I have not left you before? Expediency. If one of my other women were unavailable you were always ready to lay flat on your back and welcome me with no questions. If only you had continued to silence your damned questions we could have gone on for a few more pleasant months. The blame for our ending association can be placed firmly at your door."

She had one last chance to convince him. She got up not even caring she was naked, stripped bare before him. Her arms wrapped around him tightly. She tried to kiss him but he resisted. The disgust in his eyes was the death knell to her hopes and dreams. The dagger of defeat stabbed deep in her heart bringing forth an unbearable pain. She felt as if at any moment she would take her last precious breath. How could she still live with no heart? It must be broken. The beating rhythm of life must have stopped. The words from Erik's lips delivering a killing blow to Susan. One last time she had to try. She had no life without Erik in it. She grabbed his shirt front and begged him to stay. Pleaded to his unfeeling heart to love her or at lest have affection for her.

In disgust he pushed her away from him. In his haste to remove himself from her weeping he cared not even a little if he crushed her with his harsh words. She landed roughly on the floor. Her fingers gripped his pant legs. Angered at her unwillingness to accept the inevitable he shook her free and shoved her roughly aside with his booted foot. No pain registered except the pain of his denial to love her. She buried her face in her folded arms and began to sob. Her head remained on her folded arms not looking to watch him walk away. His steps away from her ringing hollowly in her ears. She jerked when she heard the thunderous slamming of the door.

Susan knew it was over. The door closing signified more than just a brief separation. He would not come to her again. Resignation settled over her features. A calm acceptance of what must be. Erik would never walk into her home again or share an hour enjoying the pleasures of their entwined bodies. Nothing she could say would change his mind. He didn't have any feelings for her at all. Not kindness nor affection. Not even respect. Foolishly she had broken her own rules and opened her heart to him. He stomped on that precious organ without compunction. She placed her hand on her aching heart. The pain almost stealing her breath she painfully inhaled through lips numbed with the sting of denial of his lips on hers. Tight grasping fingers of pain wrapped around her heart. At any moment she expected the steady beat to slow and stop altogether. Such a curious thing the heart. It could continue to beat out it's steady rhythm even as one felt life slip away. Dead but still living. That's how she felt in this moment.

Alone and naked on the floor she lost her reasoning. Nothing came to mind to contradict the voice ringing in her head. _"__**End it" **_was the encouraging words she heard. _**End this wrenching pain. It's not so hard to do. A few pearls of sleep inducing medication. A quick swallow of water and peace can be yours. Sweet nothing to kill the pain. **_

That relief beckoned with enticing fingers toward a simple solution. Susan welcomed the knowledge of a soon to be forgotten pain. Finally after years of torment a simple act and then slipping into the arms of the dark angel. She welcomed her upcoming death. She welcomed those arms wrapping her in the surety of pains release. No more pain. No more Susan.

Stumbling to stand upright she took a few hesitant steps forward. Her eyes blurred with tears she staggered her way into the bathroom. The sleeping pills she had received from the doctor for insomnia remained full. Silently beckoning her into the sweetness of forgiving oblivion. She hadn't needed the pills to force oblivion of sleep in all the time she knew Erik. Erik had been her guide to peaceful slumber. Now the pills would take her to the sweet release in permanent sleep.

Splashing water on her face she looked in the mirror she used her hands to wipe away the droplets of water running in small rivulets down her cheeks. She straightened her hair. Pinched her cheeks to add color to her pale complexion. One should look presentable when facing the Angel of Death. She picked up her discarded white silk nightgown gently slipping it over her head. She smoothed her hand down from breasts to hips. Now she was ready. Filling a glass with water she spilled the tiny lethel pills into her hand. Her palm full she raised it to her lips and popped them into her mouth then quickly swallowed the glass of water. Soon she would have no worries, no dreams, no nightmares but best of all no pain.

_**Will anyone cry for me? Will anyone mourn my passing? Will it even be noticed if I am not present at the next tea or luncheon? Unnecessary. I am not needed by one single person. I could be a piece of furniture for all the notice I receive. Even Erik, a man who hides from the world behind a mask doesn't need me. He can bed another just as easily as he beds me. Her parents had each other. The baby. She had thought the baby would bring them together. He couldn't stand her why would he want her baby? **_

Susan felt completely unnecessary. Her death would make only a small ripple on the waters of life then soon be forgotten.

Returning to her bedroom she went to the chair where Erik's robe lay draped over the back of the chair. She picked it up and inhaled his scent. Tenderly she rubbed the silky material against her cheek. She closed her eyes as tears of sorrow began to flow down her cheeks. She remembered giving him the robe. His look of childish wonder when she gave him the gift warmed her tender heart in such a way she hadn't felt in a long time. His remark that he had never received a gift before shocked her. On that day she had given him more than the gift of the robe. She had given him her heart without reservations or expectations. She had almost told him about the baby tonight. She had changed her mind thinking what a wonderful gift it would be for Christmas. A few short months to hold her secret. Then things had gone so horribly wrong. Now he would never know. Not that he would want it anyway. It was going to be her child and not his precious Christine's.

Her bed beckoned. Starting to feel drowsy she crawled onto her bed and wrapped the robe around her body. It almost felt as if he were there holding her. As the fog of drugged sleep overtook her she smiled. A fleeting regret for not giving her child a chance for life gave her a moment of regret but soon gave way to the peaceful cloud of uncaring sleep. Erik my love. Good-bye. Those were her last thoughts as she drifted into deep sleep and permanent slumber.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven  
Duel for Honor **

Dawn was just breaking. Erik felt the warm fingers of the sun on his face. That was one sensation he would never forget or be deprived of again. He rolled over and groaned when he remembered last nights end. He had not meant to be so harsh but the damn woman had to bring up Christine. Erik had no idea why her name on the lips of others drove him to violence. He had memories of her drifting in and out of his mind every day. They comforted him rather than disturbed him. To hear her sweet name on another's lips brought out his killing instincts. It was as if he were jealous of even her name crossing the lips of another person. Insanity. An insanity he could not rid himself of and was not sure if he wanted to. All he had of her was his memories and fantasies.

Erik had begun to think Nadir was correct when he compared Christine to a plague at least where he was concerned. This obsession clearly was not healthy. He needed to rid himself of this insanity. It was not her. It was him. There was a darkness in him that would not let go. He needed to find that darkness and cut it out before it consumed him entirely.

He did wish to apologize to Susan. He could send her a gift. Yes a gift. A necklace or bracelet. Every woman loved jewelry. He could send it by messenger. A coward's way out but he could not face her accusing eyes. They always seemed to look too deeply into his soul leaving him bleeding just a little when he committed some wrong against her. Lately it had been happening all too often. His guilt would pick away at him until he sent his apologies and she sent her acceptance.

Erik had pressing business in London. Today would not be a day to linger in his bed contemplating past tragedies and hopes for the future. With a quick flick of his wrist his covers were thrown across his bed. Not taking time to put on his robe or slippers he went into his bathroom and began his morning grooming routine.

Erik had only recently allowed himself to look in a mirror to shave or comb his hair. The face staring back at him had not changed but the eyes looking at that face had a different perspective. For all her faults Susan had given him the confidence to look at his own face in the mirror. If he turned so that only the left side was reflected he looked normal. Not being conceited he thought some might even say he was handsome. Not at all like those silly rumors flying around the opera house all these years. His features were not pleasant but that damn Joseph Buguet had over stated his ugliness.

Every once in a while a memory of a time long ago when he was younger would flit into his mind. Back then he was not quite the debonair fellow he was now. On one of his nights foraging for food in the opera house kitchens he ran afoul of Joseph Buquet. Not knowing much about personal hygiene or cleanliness to be blunt Erik stank worse that a dog freshly rolled in a cow pile. His years in the cage in the Gypsy camp had not given him any reason for cleanliness. His cage did not get cleaned regularly. The damn chamber pot spilled every time his cage was hooked up for travel.

Erik had just been on his way to return to his lair with the dinner he had prepared in the opera kitchens. The opera house managers were most gracious to lend him their food and stove until he managed to procure his own. A few threats and his presence was ignored. That night he had warmed leftover chicken, rolls and gravy he made himself. He was becoming quite a good chef through need not inclination.

Suddenly a disgusting man smelling of alcohol and sweat surprised Erik before he could get to his secret passageway. Knowing a scuffle was about to ensue Erik had lain his tray down on the floor and waited for the attack. The darkness hid his features. Only shadowy outlines could be seen. Erik's eyes used to the dark saw each disgusting and displeasing feature of the man's face. His breath almost caused Erik to wretch from the stench of foul breath and foul body. Knowing his own body carried the smell of unwashed skin he did not hold that against the man. Perhaps the man had trouble obtaining warm water as Erik did. A dip in the the icy lake once every few weeks was as much as he could tolerate. He was working on plans for warming water and fixing a modern bathroom in his chambers. It all took time though and much of his time was taken keeping his managers in line. Now of course there was precious little Christine. He must comfort her each evening so she can sleep. She grieves for her recently deceased father. Madame Giry had told him she was bringing an orphaned child to stay with her.

The man had grabbed Erik and they fought for a bit. Erik being younger and in better physical condition but mostly because he was not hampered by drink, had quickly gotten away from Buguet. Shoving the overweight man to the wooden floor of the corridor Erik had straightened his clothing and looked down at the man on the floor propped up on his elbows looking half dazed up at him. As a lark Erik had picked up his bowl of gravy then poured the bowl of gravy on the man's chest as he lay on the floor trying to recover from being beaten by a boy of no more than nineteen. The insult did not set well with the older gentleman.

Years later when Erik took on the persona of the Opera Ghost and sometimes The Phantom of the Opera, Joseph Buquet, being a vengeful man started the rumors about Erik smelling like death and having no nose. He may have carried a slightly unpleasant smell but he thought his nose quite attractive. He definitely had the appendage. The insult rankled Erik for many years. In the end Erik had the last laugh as Buquet dangled from his Punjab lasso around his neck as he hung from the rafters. Erik had taken great pleasure watching the life leave that horrible man's face. The ballet rats were secretly overjoyed at his demise. He had been a peeking Tom and several young girls had accused him of fathering their children. A nasty man met a nasty end. Sometimes life does balance out. Erik enjoyed balancing the scales of justice. Could he help it if at times they tipped just a little in his favor?

Erik was brought back from is introspection by loud voices. It sounded as if there were an argument raging in his sitting room. Not feeling in any mood to cross swords with anyone just yet Erik turned to head to the kitchen for some breakfast. If company was staying he would be having his housekeeper Marianne bring his to his room instead of the dining room.

Erik could hear Nadir and Darius speaking frantically in the sitting room He could discern another male voice and a female voice as well. He caught the name Montgomery. His steps stopped in mid flight. God he hoped they had not tried to patch things up between him and Susan by inviting her to breakfast. He had just loosened her choke hold from his neck. He did not want a noose to take its place.

He recognized Susan's parents when he entered the sitting room. He had not been formally introduced to them but he had seen them at many social functions and Susan had pointed them out to him. He calmly walked through the doorway smiling at the couple. The dark hatred glaring back at him stopped him from taking another step into the room. His hand that had been on its way to shake the hand of Susan's father stayed at his side. The hate was so strong it was almost a tangible wall hitting Erik as he took another step towards his uninvited guests.

The gentleman strode to Erik. Erik did not see or expect the backhanded slap across his face. The red haze of rage clouded his vision. His cheek stung from the force of the blow but his pride stung more.

"You bastard. It's your fault. Because of you she's gone. Only last week she visited us going on and on about you. How wonderful you were. She told us all about her plans for the future with you. I asked her if you loved her and do you know what she said? She said no not yet but she had enough love for the both of you. Did she tell you she was with child? Ah I see she kept that from you. How does a man live with himself knowing he killed a woman just as if his hand snatched the breath from the body?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Susan. Our beautiful daughter. She killed herself last night. Took sleeping tablets. Took her life yet here you are healthy and unconcerned. The bastard responsible for her death. Here you stand without a care in the world . What are your plans for this day? On this very day I must make arrangements to put my only child in the ground? Susan won't have another day. We'll never hear her laugh again. Never know the joy of having grandchildren."

Erik had to stiffen his spine to hold himself erect as his knees nearly buckled beneath him in shock. His fault. It was all his fault. His pride would not let them see the guilt he felt or the tears that wanted to be released. Hardening his heart he allowed coldness to seep into his voice when he spoke. He would not show any weakness in front of anyone. Allowing an opponent to see a weakness lead to defeat and pain.

"Susan knew how I felt all along. It was her choice to continue the affair. I was far from her first lover." The woman, Erik assumed was Susan's mother, began to cry. Her sobs touching a part of him he thought long buried. With a firm control he squashed those tender fellings down again.

"Erik please. They have just lost their daughter. I think kindness is in order not accusations and blame or excuses for bad behavior."

"Nadir kindly stay out of this. I will not stand by and allow him to place blame on me. Susan was a grown woman. She made her choices. I told her to think before she took this final step. It would seem she ignored my advice."

"You knew the young woman was in peril and did nothing to prevent it? May heaven forgive you Erik for I do not know if I can. How can you be so uncaring for that dear child? She gave you everything and asked for so little in return. How could you be os selfish to satisfy your bodily lusts without thought of procreating? Did you even once consider you could become a father?" Susan's parents did not speak Persian. Mercifully they knew nothing about Erik's damning inaction toward the threat to their daughter. Knowing of his callous treatment would only fuel an already tense situation.

"As you are aware I have not had a need for such knowledge to prevent such a thing from happening. Do you honestly think I would want to bring a child of mine into this world?"

Susan's father, growing more agitated by the second, stepped up to Erik and slapped him across his face with his gloves held in his hands then with anger and hate filling his voice said, "I challenge you to meet me in the grove of trees by the lake at the end of your property. The grove of trees shall offer us shelter from prying eyes."

"I have passed the honor of killing you down to my nephew. Susan was more like a sister to him than a cousin. My ill health does not allow me to challenge you myself. I would not stand a chance of surviving the first few minutes. My heart would give out. My nephew has asked to duel in my place. Is this acceptable?"

"Indeed. It will be my honor to take the life of another pompous blueblood."

"Gentlemen there is no need for this brutality. What purpose will be served with another death? Let us show our respect for our loss. You dishonor her with this violence." Nadir was aware he stood little or no chance of changing the outcome but he had to try. In his own country revenge was a daily practice. Men in all walks of life and cultures held the belief of an eye for an eye. The sentiment was universally embraced.

"Tomorrow at dawn. Bring your second and your own witness. You may examine the pistols and have first choice of weapon."

"How civilized of you. How magnanimous. I shall look forward to the morning with delight." Erik's mockery covered his guilt. As much as he hated it those damn feelings of remorse were beginning to eat at him. Maybe a bloodletting would chase away his guilt.

"Come Janelle. We have a daughter to bury. Sir, if honor deserts you I hope the guilt of your actions follow you to the grave. Tomorrow at dawn we shall meet again."

Erik and the other two gentlemen watched as the grieving man and woman left them in accusing silence. Darius excused himself for he knew his anger would get the better of him and he would hurt Erik in ways no man should even know about. It would appear Erik had not changed as much as they had assumed. His heart still had a dark blot covered by his thin layer of civility over the last few months to appear he had made progress in forgetting the trauma of Christine.

"Erik in all our years I have never been as disappointed as I am at this moment. Erik I know somewhere deep inside there is still a warm and caring man. Please allow him to resurface. This coldness you have let freeze your heart will in time kill off any soul you have remaining. Please do not meet them tomorrow. Let us begin our plans for our departure. I beg of you Erik. If there is one scrap of humanity please allow this insult to pass. It is not worth another blot on your already putrid soul."

"If you think I am so lost one more man's blood on my soul will not matter. I will not make any promises but I will try to refrain from killing anyone tomorrow. As a courtesy to your wishes I shall use my skills to injure and not kill. As you know these things can not be predicted. All I can do is give my word I will try."

"If you simply did not go there would be no need for worry. I know my words are wasted so I shall say no more and take you at your word. May your god show you more mercy than you show his other children Erik. I shall not go with you tomorrow. I will wait for your return here."

"Such confidence in my skills Nadir. I will do my best not to disappoint your faith in me."

Not having the stomach for more Nadir left Erik on his own to mull over his thoughts. He must make Erik leave this place soon. If he did not get himself killed tomorrow they could leave within a week. Nadir had made inquiries and found a passage on a boat leaving from the shipyard on Friday. That gave them four days to pack their clothing. Nadir had found a reputable agent to leave in control of selling off the rest of Erik's assets.

Erik had already sold many of the bigger enterprises. The cash they would need for travel was in the safe with Erik's collection of jewels he had stolen from the Shah in Persia. Their identification papers were in order and all would be ready for them to leave.

He would tell him this evening at dinner of the plans he had made. With the ever unpredictable Erik Nadir was prepared for any reaction. Even knowing he should leave he would balk at being forced in this way. He liked to think he needed no other soul. Truth be known Erik was the neediest of souls. For all his genius his common sense flew out the window on wings like a bird flying to freedom the moment a simple problem came along. If it did not need careful scrutiny or master planning Erik was baffled. If it involved human emotions other than is own he became stumped for a solution. Erik's humanity had been curtailed at an early age by an unfeeling mother. The further ill treatment in later years had rendered Erik unable to understand the emotions of others. He rarely showed tenderness. If he did it was so fleeting as to be thought an error of the observers judgment. Nadir had only ever seen Erik show tenderness to his own son, Riza and briefly to Christine. With her he was not always kind or gentle and he loved her.

Nadir was sitting in the library reading when he heard the front door slam. Quickly he got up and went to the window. He was just in time to see Erik mount his horse and tear off down the drive. There would be no discussion tonight. Erik had left on one of his night time rides. He would be gone for hours.

Nadir went to bed with a prayer on his lips for the safety of Erik and the young man brave enough or rather foolish enough to face him at first light. Nadir prayed for mercy for both of the foolhardy men.

**_Is it wrong to pray for a blizzard in the Spring? Perhaps a freak hurricane or typhoon? No that is far too dangerous as is the blizzard. Maybe I could leave some item on the bottom step and he would fall and sprain or break his leg. That does not sound too drastic._**

For a brief moment Nadir gave serious thought to this solution. If he thought he could accomplish it without Erik breaking his neck he just might be brave enough to do it. Then again even if he succeeded in stopping the duel there was not one thing to prevent Erik from stretching Nadir's neck with that blasted lasso once he had recovered. Best to leave things in the hands of Allah.

Erik woke long before he needed to be leaving for his appointment with the young man. He sat by the window in his bedroom holding his sword in his hands. His thoughts were turned to the last time he had dueled. He and Raoul had been faced off in a duel to the death. Their swords had struck the stone monuments causing sparks to shoot off the stone.

At one point Erik thought he had the upper hand. He had drawn first blood. In his madness and overconfidence he had slipped on a sheet of snow covered ice. He had lost his grip on his sword and Raoul had been a hairs breath from running him through. If Christine's sweet plea for mercy had not come Erik would not be sitting here about to face another young blueblood.

Erik recalled how Raoul's eyes looked in that moment when the tip of Raoul's sword hovered over his heart. The fire of hatred and victory had blazed in the young boy's eyes. In that moment they were not so different. He and Erik at that moment had the same lust for blood in equal measure. He would have gladly taken Erik's life if Christine's voice of sanity had not reached him just in time.

Erik had seen the struggle to control the inner monster of revenge. That particular fearsome beast visited Erik often. For one second Erik had thought Raoul would not heed Christine's plea. Determination and resolve had flashed into his face aging the boy beyond his years. Hate did that to a person. It took away all innocence. For that brief fleeting moment Raoul was no better than Erik. Raoul's insanity fled as quickly as it came whereas Erik's remained to lead him to destroy almost all that he loved.

Erik sighed heavily. He had no stomach for what he was contemplating. Hell he did not even know the young man he would be trying to kill. No wrong doing had been committed by the young man. Erik wondered what dark forces were always at work to keep his soul so dark and twisted. Why could he not be as a normal man? Why did bloodshed always follow in his footsteps?

Erik laid his sword down beside him on the window seat. He picked up the tumbler of amber liquid and downed it in one swallow. He picked up the carafe from the floor at his feet and poured another generous serving into his tumbler. He quickly downed that as quickly as the first. One more tip of the carafe and he stood holding the tumbler looking into the dark amber liquid as if the answers to the world's problems could be seen in the depths of the brandy he held.

Downing the drink he laid down the tumbler and picked up his sword and the spare for his opponent. His steps were heavy as he left his room and went down the steps and out the front door. He would much rather be sitting at his piano playing one of his compositions or composing a new one. He did not feel much like delivering anyone into the Angel of Death's arms today. If his skills were adequate, as he was sure they were, he may be able to save the young man's life but still give him the satisfaction of knowing honor had been served.

Personally Erik saw no honor in the attempt to take a life just because of some supposed slight or insult. Or at least not since his madness had overtaken him during his reign at the opera house. Now he was much more...he paused in his thinking trying to think of fitting words to describe his new mental status. Lenient, tolerant, and calm. Yes, those words fit his new ideas perfectly.

He had thought to strangle Susan but in reality he would not have given into the impulse. A little threat to frighten her was all he had intended. At least that was what he had convinced himself of during the long night of regret over his cruel handling of Susan. He regretted his actions in retrospect. Not leaving her but the manner he chose to tell her of his departure and his unsympathetic attitude toward her distress. She had deserved better treatment than Erik had shown her. She was much more tender hearted than she lead everyone to believe.

A more fitting revenge to meet the need to satisfy honor would be to take away all the other person held dear. If the young man were intelligent he could have challenged Erik in the financial arena and avoided this unnecessary violence. With each passing day Erik was finding he no longer had a taste for shedding another's blood.

Nadir and Darius watched him leave from the dining room windows. Both men wore expressions of sadness. Nadir knew almost with a certainty that Erik would return. His skills were too honed to perfection to lose to an amateur. From the account Erik had given Nadir of his duel with Raoul a lucky slip had given Raoul the advantage that day. Luck would not be with the man today as there was no slippery ice or snow. The sun had even decided to shine its rare rays of light the last two days. The ground was dry with no mud in sight.

Erik arrived at the appointed meeting to find Susan's father and his nephew already waiting. Erik smiled in derision. The young man was so eager to draw his blood. Erik almost hated to disappoint him. Erik wanted this ended quickly. He had brought two swords with him. With pistols he had less chance of aiming a weakening blow without killing the opponent. With the sword he could give injuries that would hurt like hell and incapacitate the recipient but would not take the life of his quarry. He either dueled with swords or both would leave without honor being satisfied.

"Monsieur Manchester. Lovely day today. It is a shame to spill blood on such a beautiful morning. If you continue to insist on this action I shall oblige you, one stipulation to our duel. Since I have been challenged it is my prerogative to choose the weapon is it not?"

"Of course honor demands you have the choice of weapon."

"I have brought two swords. Your second may have first choice of weapon. Examine them. Pick them up and hold them if you like. Both are superior weapons."

The young man stepped forward. He looked boldly at Erik before picking up the first weapon. He took a couple of swipes with it then did the same with the other sword. Having chosen one he stepped back waiting for Erik to take his stance and the gentleman who had been brought along to officiate to signal the start of the duel.

Erik was sizing up his opponent. He could be no more than twenty. He handled the weapon with the ease of familiarity. Perhaps this would not be as easy as Erik had first thought.

Both men took their places. A hush came over the meadow as if nature knew the battle that was to commence within the next few seconds. Even the wind seemed to quiet. Not one leaf rustled in the wind or blade of grass blew in the breeze. The bird's calls were silenced. It seemed nature hushed and held silent waiting for the two foolish humans to commence this barbaric battle. Nature waited in silent judgment of this unnecessary impending violence in such a beautiful representation of God's most wonderful creations. This place should hold only beauty. No blood should be spilled to mar this peaceful place. God's wonderful gift should be held in reverence, not defiled by bloodshed. Ah, but human nature being what it was nature and God would be forgotten in the next moment in the battle for life and death.

The two men faced each other. They turned and saluted the official waiting for his signal. With a look at each man the white haired official raised his hand then swiftly let it fall. The two combatants circled one another looking for an opening. They touched blades. The steel clanged loudly in the stillness. The battle was on. Strike after strike the swords clashed. Neither opponent able to get the upper hand. Sweat began to fall from each man's face and their shirts soon became soaked with perspiration.

As if the sky shed tears for the folly of man a gentle rain began to fall. The weather gradually worsened. Lightening flashed from the suddenly darkening sky. Thunder rumbled a threatening roar. Lightening flashed menacing fingers of light across the sky. The angry sound of the rumbling and flashes of lightening gave proof of nature and God's end of patience with the foolishness of man. The ground became puddled with droplets of water. Boots began to slip on the wet ground.

Each man parried then retreated. Both seeking a weakness in the other. Neither one found any opening to land that death blow. Both men were tiring. The victory it seemed would to go to the one who had the best endurance. Erik was older by fifteen years but he was very fit. The young man was healthy but unused to prolonged exercise lasting more than twenty minutes. His most strenuous exercise was walking from his home to the nights entertainment in London, not more than a couple of blocks away from his home.

Erik let his attention wander for one moment to Susan's father. The man looked unwell. His skin was grayish and he clutched his chest as if in pain. That momentary lapse was all Jaime needed. He thrust his sword into Erik's shoulder. He had wanted to strike dead center but had to be satisfied with a severe wound to the shoulder. Erik felt the blade enter his flesh tearing into muscle as it surged deep in his shoulder. The searing and burning pain knifed through him taking his breath away for a moment. Blood quickly soaked Erik's white shirt. The rain washed away each drop only to be replaced by more droplets of that precious life giving liquid. A few minutes and he felt the weakness and dizziness start to overtake him . He felt another blaze of fire shoot into his left arm as the sharp blade sliced through the flesh. Erik staggered back trying to regain a solid foothold to balance himself taking a cleansing breath into his burning lungs. Seeing another opportunity to inflict damage Jaime lunged forward sinking his blade into Erik's upper thigh. The young nobel was going to damn well pick him to pieces at this rate. Erik had to end this. He had no intentions of dying in this Godforsaken country and done in by a boy of noble blood no less. If his father was the Devil he would turn him away in shame.

**_Then where would I end up? Heaven shut its pearly gates on me a long time ago. God forbid I be cursed to roam this earth throughout eternity. As much as I deny a God I surely do think upon him a great deal. I wonder if my thinking is hindered by my wounds? I must not be going to die for I see no hellish moments from my life passing before me. Sorry to disappoint you young Jaime but I will not die today and as for you father of darkness I will not come home tonight. Erik will live another day._**

Using the last of his strength he volleyed several quick thrusts. He kept advancing not giving the young man a moment to recover from the previous strike, forcing him back a step at a time. Relentlessly moving forward. The clang of metal striking metal rang out echoing around them. Flashes of sparks could be seen at times when metal struck metal. Erik advanced forcing Jaime to stagger backwards fending off the increasingly severe blows. Erik's strikes were harder and quicker. Each volley driving his opponent backwards. At last he saw his opening. Erik thrust the sharp blade into the young man's thigh. When he fell to the ground Erik gave a final stab to his arm holding the sword. The sword fell from young Jaime's now useless hand. He fell to his knees hitting the ground jarring his body with the painful contact of ground to knees. Erik kicked the sword away while he kept his aimed at the man's throat. Slowly the young man raised his face looking boldly at Erik with not one ounce of fear in his face. All Erik saw was resignation. An acceptance of his inevitable death. Shakily he got to his feet holding his hand over the wound in his arm balancing on his uninjured leg.

Erik could only admire the young man's proud stance. He would die with honor if that is what Erik chose. Erik did not want another life on his conscience. His soul had been blackened with too many deaths already. "It's over. Honor has been served. Your death would serve no purpose. There is no dishonor in your loss. You fought valiantly. Do you accept this monsieur?" Not wanting to see his nephew die Susan's father nodded his head in acceptance of Erik's victory and gracious gift of his nephew's life.

Erik's body began to shiver with cold. He stiffened his back in an effort to control the shivering. The loss of blood combined with the soaking from the rain began to chill him to the bone. He would be lucky if he did not bleed to death or get an infection from all the mud caking his body.

**_Damn rain could not hold off for a few more minutes. That is sadly the story of my life. Even the heavens work against me. Well, damn you God and your constant denial of mercy for me. I won this battle even with you pitting your holy countenance against me. If ever there is to be forgiveness on either of our parts I would hope for that mercy now. I did not kill when I could so easily have given into my darker urges. That alone should count for something, earn me a certain amount of favor._**

All his life Erik had a constant battle raging inside him. The ill treatment he had received his whole life conditioned his first response to be one of attack and defend. From even his earliest memories he could still see images of his mother with her fist raised drawn back then feel the jarring pain in his head. His mother's anger stemmed from having a deformed son who drove her husband from the house. His father could not accept this child of both heaven and hell as his son. Later it was the Gypsies who beat him mercilessly on a daily basis, then it became everyone he met. He had been treated with cruelty for so long it had been all he came to expect out of life and he responded accordingly.

With one last bow to both gentlemen Erik got back on his horse. He was unsure he could make it back but he'd be damned if he'd let them see him weak. Pulling into the saddle made the blood flow more freely from his wounds. Once in the saddle he wheeled the horse toward home and kicked him in the side. The fast pace would jar him and hurt like hell but if he did not get this attended to soon he would have need of a mortician rather than a doctor.

Erik arrived back at his estate and immediately Nadir and Darius came to his aid. They must have been seated by the windows to arrive so quickly from inside the house. Each wrapping one of his arms around their shoulder they carried him upstairs then laid him down on his bed. Darius went for hot boiling water, thread, needle and a large dose of brandy for Erik. Nadir could stitch him up in no time at all.

Nadir helped Erik strip out of his clothing covering him from shoulder to waist. The wounds already had dark bruising forming around the opening in the skin. Blood still seeped out and ran downward soaking his trousers in blood also.

"Before you ask Nadir I will not remove my trousers in front of you. That is one pleasure I will reserve for my women friends only. Cut the damn leg off the trousers if you have to. I can change later."

Nadir grabbed a pair of scissors from the kit Darius had brought. Since living with Erik they kept such a kit assembled at all times. Erik winced when Nadir cut the leg off his trousers. Not so much from pain. It was the fact that these had been his favorite pair of trousers.

"Erik I must know. Is there a young man's body in the meadow growing cold as we speak?"

"His body grows cold only if he is too ignorant to get out of the rain. I myself hurried home to get out of the drizzle. By the way thank you so much for asking about my welfare. I do not think the drenching from the rain will do me in but the holes in my flesh are another matter. If it is not too much to ask, would you kindly stitch me back up?"

Later looking at the wounds Nadir commented, "You will hardly know you were ever stabbed. The little nick on your arm does not require stitching. A bandage will suffice. There will not be much scarring on your shoulder or leg."

"Thank God Nadir. Quick, bring me a mirror. I simply must assure myself my handsome features remain the same. With my good looks one scar on my shoulder and leg would be so horrendous. This handsome face would go to waste. The hundreds marring the flesh on my back hardly count but this little thing on my shoulder is too cruel to contemplate. Why I'm quite sure it could destroy my love life. Thanks to your skill I may still be able to bed a wench now and again. Just to illuminate the obvious to you that "nick" in my arm almost ran clear through and hurts like hell."

"I am happy to see your humor, such as it is, has been restored. Seriously Erik this could have ended badly. You were lucky. I hope this will be the last time I have to use my skills for your benefit."

"You remember I likened you to a vampire? Well I have revised my opinion. I have recently started reading a book by a lovely woman, Mary Shelly. The book is titled Frankenstein. I do not liken you to the monster description of the man but the stitching of various parts is quite similar. The character is put together by a mad doctor."

"Nadir does this mean that every time you read a new book you will find a resemblance to me in the male character? If so, perhaps you could read a romantic tale with a dashingly handsome hero. I would not mind that comparison. So if I am the monster," he hesitated a moment at the sour look Nadir shot in his direction then continued, "If I am the**_ creature_** created by the doctor in this tomb of terror does that mean you are the mad Dr.Frankenstein? I am familiar with the book Nadir. I take no offence as I thought the same when I read the book. You have sewn me back together countless times. At times I fear I will slip a stitch and all your handy work will come unravelled leaving a trail of parts as I walk along."

"Erik you have a gruesome mind. If you were to put pen to paper and write fiction I shiver to think what your tale would entail. Please let this be the last time I piece any of your body parts together. The next time you may not be so fortunate. I have no plans in the future of becoming a doctor so I will leave that profession to the younger men."

"Nadir one would get the impression you care for my welfare."

"I do you ungrateful wretch. You take no care in these matters. Someone must keep watch and be ready to act. By the way, just to inform you of a matter I have taken upon myself to handle, we leave for America on Friday. No objections. No discussions. No arguments. I have made most of the arrangements. The tickets for our passage I purchased weeks ago. What is left to arrange can be done by the man I hired to handle your affairs after we leave. Some things I know you wanted to keep as an investment. Those are taken care of. The rest has been liquidated or in the process of being sold."

"I...," That was as far as he got before Nadir interrupted him. "I said no objections, no discussions, not arguments. My word is final. I will stand firm on my decision. That's the end of it. Final."

"Nadir I was only going to thank you for your assistance and your help. No need to jump down my throat. I think I hear your womanly ways returning. You get bossier with each passing year. I know I can be slightly difficult"...Erik paused as Nadir gave an uncharacteristic snort. Scowling in Nadir's direction Erik continued, "As I was saying I know I am slightly, just the slightest bit difficult at times. You have put up with my rare moods and tantrums. I am grateful and I do thank you."

"Rare tantrums and moods? Erik a white rhino is rare. A blue moon is rare. A perfect pearl is rare. I must get you a dictionary. The meaning of rare has escaped you. Nothing about you is rare except perhaps your good temper and appreciation of others. Now that is a rarity."

Erik hesitated a moment taking Nadir's words seriously totally missing the sarcasm. "Nadir as you know I have not had much experience with the gentler emotions so I am not versed in how to express or receive these more tender moments. I really do feel privileged to be allowed to call you friend. Without you God knows where I'd be. Sometimes I find I can not do it alone anymore. I have grown used to having your tough old hide around."

"Now who is the old woman? For one moment I heard the tearful strains of a violin. Was that a sentimental thank you? An admission of needing someone? Perhaps I should get a pen and paper." He patted his pockets as if those items could be found there.

"Wait while I get my journal. This must be recorded for posterity. The great all knowing, all seeing Erik has admitted to needing and wanting help. I think we should start to worry because I fear hell has just frozen over."

The tension between the men lessoned to a degree. The friendship was on the mend. Soon the disagreement and anger would be but a memory tucked away and never brought to light again. Such was the relationship of these three different personalities. Personalities that strangely complimented and meshed forming a strong bond. A bond somewhat like the bond of family members. Not related in any way or family in the accepted sense of the word but family none the less.

For Erik it was hard to accept that he had family so in his twisted mind he only had close friends. Two close friends. Friends he would lay his life on the line for or go to any lengths to please and seek approval. Never would he openly admit such a thing it was understood and silently accepted. The sentiment was returned by his two companions. Given Erik's insecurity most of the time he had his doubts of their friendship. He felt he was more a reluctantly shouldered burden.

As is the case of families not all is smooth and agreeable all the time. Faults were acknowledged and overlooked. Transgressions were forgiven and forgotten. Time was a great healer of wounds both physical and mental. By the time Erik and his companions were on a ship once again slicing through the deep waters of yet another ocean civility had returned between the men.

Before they left Erik journeyed to the place Susan was laid to rest. He wanted to play the requiem he had written for Susan. He stood by the freshly turned earth. He smiled at the large angel standing guard over her resting place. She would have laughed at the irony of that last gesture of her parents. Parents who had considered her a promiscuous lost soul in life.

Personally he knew she would be in heaven if there was such a place. What kind of god would deny he entrance for one single act of misjudgment? Her other sins were no more than what others committed daily. She should not be condemned into an eternity of hellfire and darkness.

Setting the case down he flipped open the clasps. He lifted out his violin to his shoulder then rested his chin on it and began to play. At first the notes were pure sorrow and melancholy. The last mournful note drifted away into the silence around him. Susan would want no mournful tunes played for her. This first piece was for Erik and his regret. This was to express his sorrow for his part in the tragedy.

The second piece was pure joy. The last note died away leaving an eerie silence in this place of resting souls. Erik dropped to his knees bowing his head in sorrow. He had not known he was crying until he felt the splash of a tear on his hand. Seeing that tear the dam broke. His shoulders began to shake with the force of his sorrow. He begged desperately for her to forgive him.

A gentle breeze began to stir. The air moved around him as if warm fingers caressed him. For just a moment he would swear he smelled her favorite perfume. Just for a brief few seconds then it was carried away. With his head bowed and his eyes closed he could swear he heard the words tickle his ear "I forgive" then all was silent.

Looking upward he saw blue sky with wisps of white clouds floating by. Suddenly he saw a lone white feather gently floating down toward him. He sat silently watching that feather float all the way down until it came to rest on his hand. Carefully he grasped the feather between his fingers. He smiled. Looking up once more he murmured softly, "Thank you."

He gently tucked that feather in the pocket of his vest. Erik carried that feather until the day he died. Long after he had forgotten about Christine's ring he carried that single white feather.


	9. Chapter 8

********

A/N: An issue I had planned to address later was mentioned by a reviewer, Penmora Zenith concerning Erik's lack of remorse of the loss of his child. I had this chapter written many months ago and decided to go ahead and add Erik's feelings over his loss of a child he had only just learned about. I was planning on having some issues pop up later but changed things a bit to go ahead and fit in his reactions.

A/N During my reserch I came across the information that in 1862 a Union soldier named Thomas Nast created a Santa costume out of an American flag to boost moral. Later in 1880 he was asked to recreate the Santa character for a New York magazine. He didn't create the myth of Santa he only used his German heritage to expand and create an image of hope for the people of the disheartened North.. He chose to give him a gentler more calming look with a red and white suit that was trimmed with white fur for his new look. He also chose the north pole as Santa's permanent home. This character is what our Santa of today is based on.

Chapter Eight

Guilt and Forgiveness

Again they stood together looking at a receding coastline leaving behind troubles and a certain amount of regret for actions taken in haste and anger. The heaviness of guilt weighed on Erik as his thoughts were on Susan and his part in her death. A child. His child. He or she had not even had a chance to live. Erik had never really thought to have children. With his deformity and the things he had suffered because of it he had not wanted to bring a child into this world. God how he would have loved that tiny bit of life. No matter what the child's physical appearance he would have loved it.

Because of his selfishness two lives were lost. No one held any blame other than him. His monstrous nature ended a small flicker of life before it truly began. For that alone he should burn in hell.

Erik locked himself in his cabin. He could not face the accusations in the eyes of his companions. His own castigation to himself left him feeling that nothing he could do would ever erase this from his heart or mind. The death of his unborn child would forever be a blot on his soul greater than any of the sins he had commited in his life. This was one sin he could not forgive. He deserved nothing from God or anyone other than rejection.

The guilt began to eat into his black soul. Even though he felt Susan had forgiven him it did not lesson his feelings of remorse and regret. Left alone to brood he soon sank back into the darkness of despair that always seemed ready to consume him. A darkness he had fought all his life. This time the black hole of despair seemed bottomless.

From Susan his mind naturally went to Christine. Pain as fresh as the first day inflicted ripped into him almost bringing him to his knees. He could not love anyone like a normal man. Anyone he loved suffered. He would be doing the world a service if he could do as Susan did and end his life. He should be the one who died not her or his child. They were the innocent victims of his monstrous nature.

He sought peace in his old friend morphine. Nadir discovered him in his cabin on the third night out. The needle and cord to tie off his veins on the bed beside him. Two vials of that poisonous liquid lay beside Erik. Silent testimony to the deed committed earlier.

Nadir knew that one was too much. Two would more than likely be deadly. Nadir opened one of Erik's eyelids. The pupils were starting to clear but his breathing was labored. Nadir checked his pulse. It was weak and irregular. With disgust Nadir threw Erik's wrist to the bed beside him. Erik had taken an overdose of that dreadful morphine. In times of stress Erik gave into the mind numbing arms of the drug he found in Persia. He used it to forget what he could not or would not face. In times of deep sorrow he often would take more than needed hoping to end his life. Erik swore it was not a conscious decision but Nadir had his doubts. Nadir would not let him do this cowardly deed.

****

Damn you Erik. What devil is eating you now as if I did not know? The same plague of a woman that always eats at you and nips your at your heels in your dreams or more likely nightmares. Christine. The same disease of the heart you have suffered for the last year. Hundreds of miles separate you and still she has her fist tightly wrapped around your heart. If she has done this to you I wonder what state that young man is in, for I have a suspicion he will not find his young fiancée, or I should say bride now, as sweet and malleable as she seemed all these years.

Your tragic association with Susan was another catalist. Learning of the child pushed you over the edge. I should have forced you to talk to me. I should have known not to leave you alone. Whenever your spirits seem uplifted after some disaster I know how you are. You haide behind your dignity. You shield your true thoughts and feelings. Soon you become morose with selfloathing. I should have foreseen this.

A deep sigh left Nadir's lips. He removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Going into the bathroom he got a bowl of water and a washcloth. After removing Erik's mask and shirt Nadir proceeded to wipe him down with the lukewarm water. Well at least it would give his face a chance to air out. Nadir carefully cleaned the irritated skin. He knew it was quite painful at times, especially in the heat of the summer months. Nadir had tried on many occasions to get Erik to at least leave the mask off when he was alone but his insecurities would not allow him that luxury. Nadir continued to wipe down Erik's sweating flesh. This was the most he could do until Erik returned to consciousness.

Erik returned to consciousness a little changed in his attitude. It would seem some remorseful feelings had caught up to him. His guilt finally overtaking his self denial of blame for Susan as well as the child.

"Erik..." Erik interrupted before Nadir could say more.

"Not now Nadir. Perhaps not ever. Please. If you have any generousity in you for me please leave this alone. For now. Someday I may be able to speak of it but not now. The pain and guilt are too fresh."

Giving into Erik's wishes Nadir tried for a lighter tone of conversation."Well Erik you have sidestepped the grim reaper once again. By now you should be on a first name basis with that Angel of Death."

"Oh, I am Nadir. His name is Frederick." Nadir looked at Erik's face for a sign of insincerity. All but his eyes held no expression. A humorous light glowed behind the stoic face lighting his eyes with a hint of humor. If it were not for that hint of humor Nadir would have started to rethink the possibility that Erik perhaps did have a smidgeon of vampire blood running in his veins or was in fact like that poor man stitched together in the story. It would stand to reason that the walking dead or someone who was once dead then returned to the living would know The Angel of Death personally.

Nadir witnessed an unusual occurrence. Erik's mouth twitched then a full smile emerged. The deep chuckle coming up from his belly and out his mouth stunned Nadir. Erik never laughed. He smirked. He bared his teeth in a threatening manner. He growled menacingly but never had Nadir seen his face show a smile or heard his laughter.

"Allah save us for I am sure the world is coming to an end and indeed hell has frozen over. That was a laugh Erik. A real sound of merriment. Not a diabolical cackle."

"Do you suggest Nadir that I am without humor? I think I am a quite jovial man. There are any number of things which spark my humorous side."

"Erik in the past the only thing you found slightly amusing was the terror and fear you inflicted on the poor souls in your old haunt. You must forgive me if I find this a momentous occasion."

"Nadir I am not so sensitive that you must avoid saying the name of my former home. The Paris Opera House was after all was my home for twenty years. I will not soon forget the joy as well as the sadness of my time there. For all the dank, dark, molding atmosphere it had been my sanctuary. The one place I could hide from the world and be at peace."

"Nadir why must I always leave a path of destruction behind me wherever I go? I seem to destroy everything I love in this world. As hard as I try my darker nature seems to creep back taking over. The darkness seeps slowly back into my mind and heart removing all the light from my soul. I do not wish to continue to be this haunted ghost, the murderous Phantom. I want to leave that darkness behind me. How can I keep it at bay Nadir when it calls to me in every waking moment? The darkness is a much easier mistress to please. Goodness and light are somewhat elusive. Each time I reach out to grasp that elusive light it disappears like mist on the moors of England. Am I to be forever in the darkness without one ray of light Nadir?"

The serious and solemn question deserved a well thought out answer. Nadir tried to find words that would comfort and give encouragement to Erik. He feared that if someone did not come and rescue his friend's soul he would be lost forever. Erik was in desperate need of someone he could share his life with. Someone to shower him with the love he had been denied his whole life and in return give boundless love to that one person who would bring his soul back into the light and complete him, becoming his other half.

"Erik all men struggle between the darkness in their soul and the light of goodness. Since the beginning of time darkness has always tried to overshadow light. The choice is made by each person. In order for you to put your darkness behind you I feel you must face your past as painful as I know that will be. I know you hold the pain of the deaths you caused in Persia hidden and locked away in your heart. As awful as those were you only compounded your sins with the murders and deaths you caused in Paris. I do not say these things to hurt you. You must unlock that door and face what happened only then can you begin to forgive yourself. I have known for a long time your sorrow and regret for your part in those tragedies. Your God has forgiven you long ago. As soon as your regret seeped into your heart the forgiveness from that higher power was waiting to enter your heart. With each admission of guilt and feeling of regret you lesson the burden on your heart. As that hurt leaves you the love and forgiveness of the one your Christian soul has denied for so long sends his love and fills the emptied places left by the release of the sorrow you hold for your sinful acts. Now you must find a way to forgive yourself. Your ghosts and demons must be brought out to let the light shine on them. Recognizing evil in oneself is a step toward driving it out."

"Do I deserve forgiveness Nadir? Even...even after what I did to Susan and the...the child? A child that would have been mine?"

"Who among men can truly judge another? Each man knows his own conscience. I leave the task of judgment to a power higher than myself. I can only use man's laws to judge men's deeds but the soul should be judged only by whatever god you believe in. I know you always deny God but try to remember every time when your life was in peril who's name you called for guidance and assistance even if it was a silent request. When death seemed imminent was there a prayer in your heart? Did you ask for his mercy? Even the most vile man can call upon his God and receive mercy and forgiveness. All you have to do Erik is ask and it shall be given."

Near breaking into tears himself Nadir said no more but simply left after placing a comforting hand on Erik's shoulder for a brief moment. No more needed to be said. Erik needed time to think about the path he would take. Nadir did not expect an instant change but he knew Erik would find his way. There were many ups and downs. The Phantom could not be put to death in a moment of regret and sorrow. It would take many battles within Erik to lay his alter ego aside for good. He did have regret for all the sins he had committed. That was the first step. That was the hardest step. The admittance of quilt and asking for forgiveness.

Erik knew he had much to be forgiven. As he sat with his head bowed leaning into his hands for the first time in his life that he could remember, Erik prayed. He prayed for God to give him strength to choose the right path. He knew the darkness of the Devil would always be tempting him whispering seductively in his ear but he gave his promise to try to put it behind him. Knowing his nature all too well he begged God to be lenient when he strayed from the path. Erik's whole life had been a struggle just to survive. The means he had used to survive did not always mean the honest or righteous way. From early childhood he had been conditioned to fight and take what he wanted by any means just to be able to have a small portion of the things others take for granted. Before Erik ended his silent communion with the creator he wanted him to know one thing. For whatever reason God had seen fit to bestow this face on him he wanted the heavenly father to know he forgave him for the curse. Nadir told him long ago that not all things were equal in this world and less was understood. It was not necessary for a person to know the why's of God's will it was only necessary to accept and do the best one could with the things one had in life.

For the first time in his life Erik did not feel cheated. He could not honestly say he felt blessed but he did not feel his life lacked anything. Erik searched his mind to try to think of a word to describe how he felt. Many came to mind but none seemed appropriate. With sudden clarity he knew what this new feeling was. Peace. Erik felt at peace with himself and with God. He no longer felt as if he were at war with the supreme being.

That night Erik fell into a dreamless sleep. If he dreamed he did not remember them. For most of his life he had nightmares of past tortures. Consequently he rarely slept more than a few hours each night. That night Erik slept the whole night in peace. His eyes did not open until the sun streaked over the ship. Light filtered through the small porthole in Erik's room. Erik had always been an early riser as sleep held little appeal. Sleeping usually meant nightmares.

Erik remained secluded in his cabin. Nadir or Darius brought his meals and set them outside his door. Erik's new relationship with his creator needed much reflection and he thought better without interruptions.

Erik was solemn and uncommunicative for several days. That was not unusual for Erik. He would go for weeks without saying a word if he had a problem to solve or a new composition whirling around in his head. Darius and Nadir knew the best thing to do was to leave him alone until he conquered the problem and found a satisfactory solution. When after the first week Erik still had not ventured from his cabin they asked the cabin boy to deliver his meals. All they could do was sit and wait for him to come out of seclusion.

Two weeks after the duel Erik came into the dining room for breakfast. Erik was whistling. Erik never whistled. Sing? Yes. Shout curses at the top of his lungs when displeased? Most certainly. Berate and demean with well chosen words? Yes, indeed he did. Erik did not whistle.

The other guests were shocked to see him for varied reasons. The women sat up straighter in their chairs and primped with their hair. A couple of younger ones took up their fans and began to fan furiously while they snuck peeks at Erik over the top of their fan. The older women thought him quite nice to look at. The younger ones were wondering how to lure him out on deck that night for a secluded rendezvous.

"Good morning ladies, gentlemen." Erik nodded his head to each before he took the only available seat. Nadir was on his right and Darius was on his left. They had come to the conclusion that they did not want a recurrence of the last voyage. Erik could not get into too much trouble between the two gentlemen.

The long voyage was made tolerable because of the amusing way two young women vied for Erik's attention. To his credit he did not encourage them. He did nothing to outright discourage them either. Erik's gentlemanly manners forced him to be cordial and polite. Nadir did notice Erik's lustful glances toward the women but he restrained himself. All in all the voyage was uneventful.

Erik did not like New York much. He did not have much he held against it but he saw not much to recommend it either. Of course he was not one who should judge such things. He had seen many wondrous things in his life but the crowed streets of New York left him cold. His life in solitude had not engrained an appreciation for all the wonders available it that great metropolis. Too many people and most of the buildings were built simply to house masses of people with no style. The wealthier areas had beautiful homes. The business district had many new buildings he found little fault with except aesthetically. Many were modern marvels. They seemed to touch the sky. Erik thought the term skyscraper a very apt description for these tall majestic buildings. Some did not have any special design but were marvels of construction in their own way. He could admire the architecture but did not appreciate the masses of people. The theatres he found adequate. Not as elegant as his old haunt but attractive in their own way.

Nadir and Darius were ever vigilant keeping track of Christine. Nadir had taken it upon himself to hire a detective in Paris to keep him informed of all that went on in the de Changny household.

Erik and financing were like perfectly matched lovers. He studied all angle and outcomes. He never rushed into an investment. He invested generously in all the companies he had taken over. He took a beaten and bankrupt company and turned it into a huge profit. Railroad and shipping were his best investments. He bought warehouses on the docks to house the goods he exported and imported. He dealt in anything from cotton to imported silks. Tobacco was another product growing in demand. It was not as rich as the Turkish tobacco Nadir was accustomed to but one had to accept what was available. A pipe filled with tobacco was one vice Nadir allowed. An occasional wine with dinner or sherry in the evening he considered a necessary medicinal treatment to counterbalance Erik's difficult personality and behavior.

Banks as well as businesses seeking investors were vying for Erik's funds. A failed business was suddenly making the highest profits in the city. He bought cheap and sold high. Soon his wealth had tripled what he had when he left France. Erik's wealth began to compare to the richest men in the state. If the trend continued he could well compete with the wealthiest men in the country.

Nadir received notice of Christine's potential arrival in New York in a few months. Negotiations were still being discussed. The present diva was with child and wanted time away to have her child and spend the first year with her new infant. The holiday season was upon them. Nadir and Darius thought it might be better to wait until after the holidays to start the whole campaign again to uproot Erik for his own good. Nadir began to liken Christine to a leach. A parasite sinking barbs into ones skin and sucking the life's blood from the unsuspecting host. **_Yes that is exactly what Christine does to Erik. Whenever he thinks of her and what he will never have a little bit of his vitality is drained. It takes weeks for him to recover and begin to behave rationally, or what resembles rational for Erik. _**

On the bright side Erik would not mind so much leaving New York as he was not overly fond of the comings and goings of so many people. The joy of the season had completely baffled Erik. His thoughts were that it only harbored false hopes in children for the man in the red suit to bring a toy or treat. What of the children who had no parent to play St. Nicholas or the funds for such frivolous things? Better to tell them the truth than encourage this falsehood. He personally had never received a gift. His life had not ended because he had no belief in an unreal personage. Let the season reflect the true meaning and be done with it.

Nadir used all manners of persuasion to help Erik find a little of the spirit of Christmas. He himself did not celebrate as it was not of his religious beliefs but he saw no harm in giving children and many adults the thrill of going to sleep and waking to presents given for no other reason than you had achieved some goodness in the year or held the love of family wanting to see joyful faces when opening that first gift.

Erik grumbled and groaned each evening at dinner about all the shoppers traipsing about pushing and shoving trying to find last minute gifts. No doubt everyone would overeat and laze about the whole day then want to spend the next day recovering from the hustle and bustle and illness of their own making.

Nadir had recently read "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. As was his habit he compared Erik to the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge. Erik's "Bah! Hum bug" attitude reminded Nadir of that character. He was even quite certain he had heard Erik mutter those words one evening coming in the front door after a day traveling around the city shops.

After dinner one evening Nadir decided to voice his observation. "Erik do you believe in ghosts?"

"As I used the disguise of being a ghost to hide my activities for many years I would have to say no. I do not believe in that which can not be seen. If there were such things they surely would have been in the catacombs. During the hard times of the Paris they had been used to house prisoners. It is rumored many prisoners were forgotten and languished until merciful death claimed them. If ever a ghost were to haunt I believe it would have been there. I feel I may regret this question but why do you ask?"

"My recent reading material has a man who reminds me of you during this jovial season. The book is "A Christmas Carol". The man sees three ghosts. The Ghost of Christmas Past, The Ghost Of Christmas Present and finally The Ghost of Christmas Future. Needless to say the man has a frightful but highly enlightening night. During his night he learns the moral to appreciate life more and keep the joy of the season in his heart not only during Christmas but all through the year."

"Ah, a novel I have not read. Nadir you do have a rather eclectic reading taste as do I. I would have thought you would enjoy a rather dry and boring tale but I am pleased you are open to many different topics. So now you think I will be visited by ghosts?"

"Anything is possible Erik. Perhaps not real ghosts will come to you but maybe if your lucky St. Nicholas will pay you a visit. After all you have been good lately."

Erik blushed remembering how very bad he had been the evening before with a young lady he met at the gaming hall. Not a high society lady but a lady none the less. He had spent quite a few hours being very bad but damn it had felt so good.

"Erik is there something you should tell me? The blush of guilt or embarrassment or both has stained your cheeks. You have begun to fidget. This is telltale habit you have acquired over the last few months and signals guilt on your part for some misconduct. Should we be packing instead of celebrating? Confess what sin you have committed because I am sure it will come to light. Confession is good for the soul."

"Stop your mothering and my soul such as it is I can say is fine. I am a grown man. I do not fidget. Besides it is just unbearably hot in here. Do you not find the temperature rather uncomfortable? The aroma from that pitiful tree does not help. Could you not find a livelier tree if you insist we have one?" As he spoke his fingers worked under the cravat around his neck trying to loosen the stranglehold of that piece of cloth that suddenly seemed to tighten like a noose. The aroma from that pitiful tree did not help his comfort one bit_. _

"If we must have a tree why not purchase one from one of the lots around the city? I'm sure a better specimen could have been found. In just a day the pitiful twig has lost almost all the needles from every branch_," _said Erik in disdainful voice. 

"Oh I do not know about that. The sad little fellow has grown on me. I think it has even perked up a bit." His eyes followed a few needles as they fell off a branch and landed on the floor. He stood up from his chair by the fire and nonchalantly walked over and used his foot to push the needles under the white piece of cloth that had been laid under the tree in a vain attempt to make it look like snow. Nadir had thought it would make the tree look a little more lively.

"Nadir that tree is all but dead. Show mercy and cut it up and pitch it in the fire. It would serve a better purpose in the fireplace than cluttering up my living room and shedding on the floor."

"I will do no such thing. If you so much as pull one needle from a branch I shall personally see you drawn and quartered," Nadir threatened.

Erik snorted and said, "I need not touch a branch of that pitiful excuse for a tree. A calm breeze would bare every branch in a few seconds. By morning I am sure it will be nothing but limbs."

Erik had not missed the needles falling or Nadir's sly bid to hide them. Even as they spoke more needles fell. The damn tree was almost completely bare. It was a disgrace to have it in his beautiful home.

"Nadir if I wait another day I will not have to make an effort to remove the tree. It will soon turn to dust. I too have seen the falling needles. Keep your tree. After tomorrow we can take it down anyway."

"Erik you are such an ungrateful man. The damn tree was for you. I do not need trees nor do I celebrate this holiday. Darius and I did this for you so you could have your first real Christmas. With your attitude no wonder St. Nicholas has passed you over all these years. If he had stopped by you would have more than likely shucked him in the fireplace. Before you say anything I know it is said he comes down the chimney. I am only using that as a reference to your poor attitude. I do not want anymore of your Bah hum bugs. I am retiring. Do not call on me for help if those ghosts come for you. I shall turn a deaf ear."

Nadir passed Darius on the way with a tray of milk and freshly baked cookies. He snatched the tray from Darius saying, "He does not deserve these. The man insulted our tree. With his attitude I doubt a visit from St. Nicholas will be forthcoming."

Frowning at Nadir's retreating back Darius then turned to Erik and said, "I take it your appreciation for the tree is less than stellar."

"Well just look at the damn thing. It is scrawny and if any more needles fall it will be completely bare. I am sure it must be infested with some sort of pest."

"If you don't mind my saying so Master Erik you could be just a little less critical. Nadir only had your interests in mind. He wanted to gift you with your first real Christmas. Might I suggest you spend the remainder of the evening contemplating on the generosity of your friend. He meant well. Can you honestly say anyone in your entire life has done as much for you? Now as we will not be sharing cookies and milk before the fire I think I will retire for the night if nothing further is required."

Erik shook his head not looking at Darius. Erik stayed in front of the fire until the last ember died then slowly went up the stairs to his bed. It was not such a terrible tree. Nadir had gone to a lot of trouble to give him this special day. Yes, it was a rather nice tree. In a certain light it might even be seen as pretty. More needles fell unseen from the tree. Erik went to bed thinking of his friend's thoughtful gesture. He fell into an untroubled sleep with the thoughts of Nadir and Darius' kindness on his mind. Someone had shown him, The Phantom a kindness. An unasked for and unexpected kindness.

Nadir and Darius had set up the tree in Erik's living room and surprised him the evening before when he entered his home. A pitiful attempt to be sure. Their were no shiny ornaments or decorations. Nadir and Darius had rented a wagon from the stable outside the city. The woods were not overflowing with the proper trees needed for a Christmas tree. The ones Nadir had seen in the store front windows were cedar or spruce or some type of pine tree. Most of the trees were to large even to consider cutting. Nadir did not want to be cutting a the tree for the next two months. Finding a small pitiful tree they accepted it could well be their only hope.

Popcorn had been popped and strung on thread. Cranberries snuggled against a puff of white popcorn all along the strand of thread created a pretty sight of red and white with the green background of the tree. Nadir cut a star from a piece of yellowed parchment paper. Unless he told you it was a star a person looking at it could be forgiven for thinking it a person with pointed and slightly askew appendages. A pitiful attempt but the thought behind the gesture came from the heart.

Nadir had purchased the special brandy Erik was so fond of. Darius bought a leather folder with music paper placed inside. He had paid to have the front engraved with gold lettering. It would be the first personal item Erik owned with his name showing proudly who he had become. Not much considering the man receiving those gifts could purchase a portion of the state and still have funds left in his coffers. The thought and love behind the gifts was priceless.

Nadir and Darius made it a point to be up long before Erik arose from his bed. They made coffee and tea. Fresh sweet rolls with various fruits and icing were placed on a tray having come fresh from the oven. Biscuits with fat slices of bacon and fried egg were added along with sugar, milk and honey. Darius carried the tray and Nadir carried a tray with silverware, plates, cups and fresh linen napkins. Taking the trays into the living room all that was left was to wait for the quest of honor. The wait was short as Erik came down the stairs and entered the living room moments later.

The look on Erik's face the morning of Christmas made the work and aggravation worth while. His speechless look of wonder had been reward enough. He had carefully unwrapped each gift as if even the wrapping were a precious gift more valuable than gold and as Nadir reflected later perhaps it was. Simple as the gifts were they could have been gold and diamonds. Erik valued them above anything he had ever had in his possession. These were gifts given to him by friends who cared about him and sought nothing in return. He would treasure them until his eyes closed for the last time and his body drew it's last breath. Erik shared his first happy Christmas with his two close friends. The gifts made Erik feel guilty for he had not thought to get them a gift. Never before had they exchanged gifts. From this Christmas on Erik decided he would buy gifts for his friends. The giving of gifts was almost as satisfying as receiving them.

Erik could count on fingers of both hands the number of purely happy days in his life and have many unneeded fingers. Christmas along with his birthday were days his mother did not think Erik should celebrate. He was deemed unworthy of receiving any gifts. The day of his birth was hardly a day to celebrate.

If Madame Giry could have been present his joy would have overflowed into the streets. Madame had written of her marriage and Meg's situation in Paris. He could not imagine Meg on her own in a city such as Paris. He felt she was far too innocent to be on her own. If Madame Giry, now Madame Messer, thought her daughter capable of living on her own who was he to pass judgment? He had sent a letter to his lawyer instructing him to purchase certain items for Madame and Meg. The gifts were to be delivered on Christmas morning. Monsieur Henri Leblanc delivered Madame's gifts personally. The young Mademoiselle would receive hers a few days later. He had to find an opportune time to leave them where they would be found.

Erik could not know of the troubles that poor Meg suffered. If he had known he would have moved heaven and earth to help his savior's daughter. The lawyer went to Meg's home only to find another tenant living there with no known forwarding address. He took it upon himself to inquire about her whereabouts. He found her safely ensconced at the home of Christine and Raoul de Chagny. He sent what information he found to Erik. He informed Erik that Madame Messer had received her gifts and sent him a letter which he was forwarding in the post with his report. Mademoiselle Marguerite Giry would receive her gifts a few days later. By the time Erik received the letter the gifts should be safely in her hands. He would not give any return address and would be leaving the packages where they could easily be found. She would know who sent them but not where they came from.

The reports with further details arrived a few weeks after Christmas. Now at least Erik could relax somewhat as Meg would be safe in the home of his hated rival. Christine and Raoul had taken her in. Erik wondered why she had not gone to another opera house. Dance had been her whole life. Why had it become necessary to leave Paris? Why not go to her mother? Erik wondered why he had that feeling of impending doom again. In time all these questions would be answered.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine  
The Art of Not so Gentle Persuasion**

**Nadir started his campaign to leave New York after the holidays. The city was too noisy, too dirty, everyone was in such a hurry and spoke too fast for Nadir to comprehend half of what was said to him. He complained of anything and everything.**

**Nadir spoke fluent English from the days when he was in Persia and many of the women in the harem were from English speaking countries. Kidnapped and brought to the harem no doubt by slave traders. Slavery had not been Nadir's concern in Persia. From the time he had brought Erik from Russia, at the request of the Shah, Nadir's sole purpose was to keep a watchful eye on the illusive and crafty Frenchman brought for the Shah as an architect and magician for entertainment at the court of the Shah.**

**Erik questioned Nadir's sudden loss of comprehension of the English language as he had shown no problem in England. Nadir surmised it was the way the locals butchered the language with their local colloquialisms. Erik agreed with him on that point. These Americans could take a perfectly good word and mangle it beyond recognition.**

**Erik had no love for the city but grumbled about starting again. Money can be made from any location with communication, prosperity and banking facilities. The choice of location was an every widening arena as civilization moved westward. The South looked promising. **

**The growth since the war was phenomenal. New industries were emerging as the rail system stretched further and improved. Having access to the ocean for shipping and importing was a must. Virginia looked to be the most promising. There was even a modern opera house there. This tipped the balance in favor of Virginia but Erik still procrastinated making a firm decision. With Erik dragging his feet Nadir had to find some inducement to help make his decision easier and more forthright. As luck would have it an unexpected helping hand came by way of the news in the papers.**

**The crime rate made Nadir wish he could pull out his police credentials once more. The crime rate was so bad even Erik hesitated to go out without his Punjab lasso, knife and small pistol hidden in his boot.**

**The newspapers were carrying the story of the indictment of William Marcy Tweed or as he was known in Tammany Hall and around the criminal element as Boss Tweed, furthered Erik's disenchantment with this city. The man was known as a bully as well as for his association with the criminals known as the Forty Thieves gang. The announcement of his indictment for larceny and forgery disgusted Erik. Funds had been mishandled and several questionable contracts had been made to associates of Boss Tweed and some funneled to his own company left the city in an uproar. Politicians wanting to disassociate themselves from the scandal withdrew any contact with the now suspect individual. Everyone denied even knowing the man personally. The rats were jumping the sinking ship quickly.**

**Perhaps a little jealousy came into play, as Erik did not have the same power here as he had in Paris. He had bullied the managers of The Paris Opera House for many years. Since he was a young man just turning twenty he had them under his ghostly thumb. Now he was a mere man with wealth. There was a certain power in that but it was not the same as the fear of just the sound of a voice. The fear on an unseen figure lurking in the dark. Nadir did think at times Erik missed his ghostly persona and the fear he invoked in everyone. He was correct. Erik missed that heady rush off power over the lives of others.**

**A few weeks after Christmas an incident took place that made Nadir's request much more acceptable to Erik. Erik was on his way home from a gaming facility where he had spent a prosperous evening playing a game of cards with a few rich gentlemen who were lighter in their wallets as Erik left.**

**Barely a block from the gaming hall Erik was attacked by four men. Normally this would not have bothered Erik in the slightest. His whole life had been a fight for one thing or another. Combat between him and more than one assailant was nothing new to Erik. Erik could fight with the best of them. This night he had drank a considerable amount of wine at dinner and several glasses of whiskey at the club. To say he was slightly inebriated would be a just statement.**

**Taking Erik by surprise the men jumped Erik taking his valuables. That alone humiliated the proud man in the mask. Each of the men took a turn pounding a fist into Erik's face and body. The beating he took from the largest man hurt his pride in no small measure. Erik had apparently gotten a few damaging punches on the largest man's face. Being a professional pugilist when not committing petty crimes the man became just a little put out. Instructing the other three to stand guard in the alley he began to beat Erik as he had not been beaten since his days in the Gypsy carnival as the freak attraction and later his last days in Persia as the enemy of the Shah and Khanum.**

**Erik could hold his own with the best of them, but he did not learn the art of fist fighting. His battles were mostly with weapons. He was proficient with many weapons. He regarded his hands as instruments of music not weapons. The man Ox, as Erik heard him called, beat Erik within an inch of his life.**

**Knowing he could not win this fight Erik did his best to defend himself. If he survived he wanted revenge. With this in mind he picked each mans pocket taking their wallets and any identification they might have. His grasp on their shoulders as he was hit and knocked about the alley were only half faked. Mostly they were real attempts to stay on his feet. Luckily he still had the presence of mind to use his slight of hand to get the information he needed. Erik is the only person Nadir knew who could be enduring the worst beating of his life and consider revenge while implementing a means of identifying his assailants at the same time.**

**"Gents this be my fight. A fortnight tis' been since I last laid glove or fist on a man. This fine gent will no mind sparin' a wee bit. You'd no' be denyin' me now would ya'? If ya' would no mind I'll be takin' the mask. That leather does sting a mite. I canna' have me hands busted now can I?"**

**Making comments about his mask the larger mean eyed man hit Erik in his face several times. The man's ham hock fists nearly broke Erik's cheek bone. In one swift move of his hand he removed Erik's mask. Stepping back at Erik's roar of anger the man quickly recovered then momentarily froze when the light reflecting from the street lamp just for a fraction of a second illuminated Erik's tragic face. Now more frightening than before because of the cuts on the left side of his face causing him to be covered in blood. The mask had somewhat protected his right side which already had the permanent horrors of his face. The mask was almost completely crimson with blood as it lay at their feet with a hollow blank stare. Anyone could be excused for thinking it a horrific sight. The mask and his face.**

**"Merciful God in heaven. Tis' the devil's own bairn before me. Do ye be searchin' for souls this fine evenin'? The devil will no be takin' ole Ox O'Sullivan's soul. I may have a noddin' friendship with the devil but he'll no' get me soul. Me dear Ma' would rise from her grave at such a thing."**

**Knowing he could not return the pain of contact with his fists as the man was extremely skilled Erik spent the time between jarring hits to his body studying the men. These faces he would remember and the next time it would be his turn to administer the pain. Most certainly his mind contemplated the rush of power he would feel as they beg for their miserable lives after he played with them a bit of course. Take pleasure in what you do tonight for the next time we meet will be your last night to draw breath. This was Erik's solemn vow.**

**During his monologue the man called Ox continued to pummel Erik as if they were opponents in a ring. A few rights then a left all the while bouncing around on his toes. Erik thought if the damn man would just stand in one spot for a moment he might get more than one or two blows in. He had made contact and drew a little blood from his adversary. Not a sufficient amount to cause any real damage. Just enough for Erik to salvage a little of his pride. Having at last tired himself sufficiently the man called Ox O'Sullivan bid him good-bye with a smile. His cohorts followed him out of the alley and down the street.**

**Erik painfully staggered out of the alley. As pain shot into his chest at each breath he took he felt fairly certain a few ribs were either cracked or broken. Luckily it was his marred face that received most of the injuries. A couple of cuts on the right side was all Erik could feel upon investigating with his fingers.**

**It took a while to flag down a cab willing to take him as a passenger. Flagging down a cab he gave his address. Hesitation on the driver's part turned to eagerness when Erik produced several bills from his boot. That was one lesson Erik had learned long ago. Always have spare funds available. As luck would have it the men had only wanted cash and not a warm coat or boots. Many on the street would value those two items over coins in the hand.**

**Erik slumped down on the comfortable leather armchair. He ached in every muscle. His face felt as if it had been slammed into a large stone several times. Shakily he retrieved the wallets out of his coat pocket grateful he had worn a coat instead of his cloak although the cloak could have served as a weapon. Erik was doubtful that one item would have changed the outcome in his favor. He simply must learn the art of fisticuffs. Erik could throw a hard punch with enough force to cause damage but against a knowledgeable fighting opponent he had little chance when caught unprepared for an attack and not quite steady on his feet. Clear headed and sober he more than likely could have put up more resistance.**

**Going through his pockets he noticed his house key had been lost in the shuffle. Damn. Could this fucking night get any worse? He'd have to pick the lock to get in. Carrying his lock pick set was one habit he was glad he had not given up. Regardless he was having a fucking spare key made. He would simply loosen one of the bricks hiding the key behind it.**

**Arriving home he discovered he would not be able to slip into his room unnoticed as he wished. Nadir was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace waiting. He pretended he was reading but Erik knew he had been waiting for his return. It had been the same since coming to this country. For some reason Nadir did not trust these Americans. Perhaps it was there lax concerns with the propriety of old world manners. Nadir could be a stickler for etiquette. At times even more so than Erik.**

**"Good heavens Erik. What happened? Is this a result of an inebriated fall? Not to point out the negative but your face is, to be blunt, quite a gruesome sight. I do believe your eye will be swollen shut by morning. The cut above your eye may need to be stitched. Your slumped posture would seem to indicate some rib damage as well."**

**"Could you stop taking inventory of my injuries and perhaps get me the medical kit and some ice?"**

**"Do not snap at me because your evening of debauchery ended in some mishap. Countless times I have told you that your carousing would at some point come to a nasty end. I have been proved correct in my observation."**

**"Damn it, stop the sanctimonious lecture and help me or get the hell to bed." Pain made Erik a little less tolerant if one could ever call Erik tolerant at any time.**

**Nadir silently left the room and Erik collapsed into the armchair Nadir had recently vacated. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. It had been many years since he had been beaten so severely. Not since his escape from Persia in fact had he suffered any physical abuse.**

**Nadir returned and silently waited for Erik to open his eyes. His face looked as if many punches had landed hard blows on his cheek and lips. There was a gash just above his right eye. Erik would be thankful it was on the side he covered with a mask. There appeared to be bruising on his neck that continued down into his shirt. No doubt his ribs were either just bruised or broken. Erik continued to press his arm across his waist pressing against his ribs with his hand. He took short shallow breaths to ease the pain. His injuries did not look serious only extremely painful. Knowing Erik the loss of his pride at having been beaten so severely would hurt as much or more than the beating. May Allah take pity on those who committed this horrible act. Erik would not forgive or forget such an action. He would eventually seek revenge and only a merciful god could save the perpetrators of this crime. Nadir could be safe in saying it was more than one man. If it were only one or two men Erik might have a bruise or two but nothing like he was suffering now.**

**"Well are you going to stand hovering over me or will you tend to my injuries? You took so long I assumed you had left me to my own devices."**

**"What have I told you about the word assume and being an ass? If you assume it makes an ass of you and me. I was only waiting for you to acknowledge me and tell me when you were ready. Do not snipe at me. I did not beat you although there have been times I have been sorely tempted. Now tell me what happened while I repair the damage. If you do not stop this abuse to your face soon you will resemble that monster we spoke of before. Do not give me that cross look. This is your own fault you know. I have told you many times that if you are going to stay out getting into mischief at night you should buy a coach and hire your own driver. Then you would have your ride already outside the door of the gaming hall or wherever you spend your time. Perhaps now you will admit I was correct and listen to me."**

**"How the hell can this be my fault? I did not go looking for someone and ask them to use my face as a punching bag. Speaking about punching bags I wish to find a teacher of the art of pugilism. My skills are somewhat lacking and I wish to remedy this immediately. I have an appointment with three men in the near future." As he spoke he removed the wallets from his pocket. He read the names and looked through the wallets. How ironic. The wallet of the man he knew as Ox had more cash than he had taken from Erik as Erik had put his winnings in his boot as he always did when he had a large amount of cash. Tonight's winnings had not been great but enough to want to hide from prying eyes and greedy pick pocketing hands. Thus the larger portion of cash had been in his boot.**

**"Erik what have you got there?" Nadir stretched his neck so far Erik thought he might fall to the floor. "Well what have you got? Do not even waste breath telling me to mind my own business. I demand to know this minute young man what sort of mischief you are planning."**

**"Nadir now you are beginning to sound like my mother. If I had one that is."**

**"Of course you had one idiot. Everyone has one. Yours just did not relish the roll. I do not enjoy my roll as the peacekeeper in your life. I long for the time you find a woman who can control your fluctuating moods. You are a hard man to manage."**

**Erik threw the wallets onto the side table. His mind was not on revenge per say. He was wondering how to go about finding himself someone who might teach him what he required. "These are the wallets of my attackers. Now I will know exactly who I am going to be killing in the near future. Before you bring up any promises I may have made during a moment of vulnerability let me say that this is a matter of honor. Besides the removal of these men will not be such a great loss to society."**

**"I swear Erik you are the only person I know being beaten about the head who would think to pick the pockets of the men attacking you in order to exact revenge. As for them not being missed how can you say that with surety? Perhaps they have families to support. People who love them dearly."**

**"Nadir the type of men who did this to me are not saintly. If they had families they would have been snuggled up next to a warm body instead of out looking for victims. Trust me these men have no one waiting at home for them unless it is an officer of the law or another person of ill repute. In the morning I would like for you to inquire discretely who the most proficient pugilist is in New York. As I said earlier I wish to perfect my skills. I'll not be beaten senseless again. Since you abhor my own method of defense I must learn another."**

**Erik bided his time. Watched from the shadows as he stalked his prey. That was how he saw them. Not as men but prey. Vermin to be removed as one would kill a rat. His skills returned more quickly than he thought. Each night he donned his cloak the power of his former persona invaded him taking him close to the edge where he lost control. Erik kept a tight reign on himself. He would remove only he ones necessary. In his past he would have stalked only as a means to trap and kill his prey. Now he watched and observed to learn what the punishment for each man would be. He was sure he wanted to kill each man. His new found conscience forced him to consider all avenues of punishment.**

**He had to fight his inclination to deal out swift justice in the manner he used in Paris and Persia. He was a different man with different goals. He knew the veneer of control was very thin. He must keep a vigilant watch or he would lose himself in the darkness. Whenever he felt himself beginning to give into that old darkness that filled his soul he would take out the white feather from his breast pocket and remember. Remember what he had done and his promise to change.**

**This time he would not rush to seek his revenge. He would take his time. After all was it not sweeter to anticipate some reward or pleasure then slowly be given your prize?**


	11. Chapter 10

**Warning: Violence. Language.**

**Chapter Ten.**

**Revenge is Sweet**

It had taken Erik only a couple of weeks to find the men who attacked him. Erik waited and observed them from the shadows. He soon chose the perfect time to catch each man alone then exact what he considered appropriate recompence.

The first was Thomas O'Toole. A young man well on his way to prison if not redirected. Erik had learned he did indeed have a family. A wife and two children. The direction he was going with his life he would be in prison and miss seeing his children grow up. Erik wanted nothing more than to wrap that thin rope around the man's neck and slowly squeeze the life out of him. He might even have given into the urge if he had not caught sight of the man sitting on his front stoop one evening with his wife watching their children play. Had he not seen the care he gave his wife who looked to be with child again and then saw him go into the front yard and play with his children he would have taken that man's life gladly.

Deciding a good scare and threats of dire consequences if he continued on this criminal path would be more beneficial Erik waited to catch the man alone. On his fourth evening watching he got his chance. He slipped up behind the man as he entered the alley and put the Punjab over his head and around his neck. Pulling tight he made sure the young man could not move by knocking him to the ground and placing his booted foot squarely in the man's back.

As the man under his boot squirmed Erik jerked on the rope tightening it further around the neck of the man on the ground. It had been a long time since he had used his Punjab on anyone. It fact the last person had been his hated rival Raoul. The thought of that man had Erik instantly tightening the rope. The man's face turning an unbecoming shade of blue returned Erik to his senses. No need to make this man pay for the misdeeds of another.

"Lay still. Each movement only tightens the rope. Well Thomas, you must be wondering who I am. I am the man you robbed a few weeks ago. Forgive me. How stupid of me. No doubt you have robbed several people since then. I am the one you and your friends pulverized and then watched as Ox continued the beating. Not sure yet who I am? Perhaps you recall a grotesque face? Well it is of no consequence your faithful memory or lack thereof will not serve you in your current situation. It only matters that you listen and heed my words."

"I won't kill you tonight. Count yourself lucky you have a loving wife and children otherwise you would have been dead a couple of nights ago. I had all but snagged you with my Punjab when I saw your children come to greet you and then your wife joined them. You should count your blessings while placing a kiss on each of your children and your wife. I will let you go for tonight but on the understanding that you will no longer victimize anyone again. You will seek employment. I shall be watching and one misstep and no one will be able to save you. Not your wife. Not your children."

Before Erik loosened the rope and let the man go he put a wad of bills in his pocket and a piece of paper with an address and name written down. There were instructions when and where to go to seek employment.

Erik whispered one last chilling warning in the man's ear. "Do not disappoint me. You would not like to see me when I am angry. If you remember my face you can imagine all the demons of hell I can unleash upon you. Do we have an agreement?"

The man nodded vigorously. The sweat of fear was pouring down his face. He knew he was moments from death if he made one wrong move. Erik loosened the rope and allowed the man to roll over on his back. His eyes widened in shock and fear. Erik had decided not to wear his mask so he would have an even greater effect on young Thomas. If the face was not frightening enough the look in the eyes was terrifying. The man hovering over him had the look of a man yearning to commit an act of violence. Pure hate and the need for violence and blood shown out of his glowing eyes. The surrounding lights reflecting feebly in the alley reflected from Erik's eyes making them seem to glow evilly. Thomas was well acquainted with that look. Many men in his part of the world held that same look. The urge to take a life, to release violence on another and cause the maximum amount of pain. The anticipation of having another helpless and begging for mercy under your hands. It was a powerful feeling. A feeling that was as seductive as it was addictive. He knew that look well. It had been mirrored in his own eyes on occasion.

Thomas nodded his head vigorously again with sheer terror reflecting in his eyes. Erik turned the man to his back to one last word of warning then disappeared as if he were but a puff of smoke. The hands gripping the rope had seemed to almost reluctantly release their grip. The rope loosened further and he quickly pulled it over his head and got quickly to his feet. By the time he was standing on his feet and turned to look at his attacker the darkly dressed man had disappeared as if he were only a figment of his imagination. If not for the throbbing in his neck as a reminder he could have convinced himself he had imagined the whole episode. Not one to pray much he did thank God for sparing him this night.

The second man Erik sought truly was a despicable man. The bottom of the barrel would be too high a rung on the ladder of humanity for this grotesque poor excuse for a man. Erik was not one to judge another because of poor hygiene or lack of proper clothing if the will to be better was present. If the slovenly manners are the result of laziness he was considerably less tolerant. Michael O'Reilly was a lazy, sadistic and cruel, pig of a man. Erik made sure he was always upwind of the foul smelling man. His bathing seemed to be nonexistent. Michael's unshaven face made a fastidious Erik cringe in disgust. A neatly trimmed beard and mustache were one thing but the scraggly facial hair on Michael's face made Erik's fingers itch to take a razor to the man assuming he could force himself to touch someone so unclean.

Erik observed Michael O'Reilly for a couple of days. He was a man in his early fifties but he looked much older. He was a dirty and unkempt man. The man was a drunkard and a cruel lecher. Drinking from early morning until late evening. In between bouts of non stop drinking he would beat on his wife and teenage daughter. When he found the time or energy to assault and relieve others of their valuables Erik could only hazard a guess that even that avenue to gain funds was not taken often by the overly lazy man.

The first night Erik had witnessed the man beat his wife and daughter Erik had longed to enter that dwelling and kill the man slowly and painfully that first night. The need for caution was the only thing between him and that man's fat neck. If he was to bring death to Michael O'Reilly and save his wife and daughter at the same time Erik had to plan his attack.

The second night Erik waited looking in the front widow while sitting on a limb of a big elm tree in the front yard. Luckily their apartment was on the ground floor in the front of the building. He watched as they ate a meal of cooked cabbage. Erik observed the man belittling his wife for the paltry meal. Even with the windows closed Erik was sure he would have heard that man's loud complaining voice. The meal was poorly cooked, no meat was served, why couldn't she have baked bread? The list of complaints went on during the whole meal. Neither woman said one word. To utter one syllable would invite a fist to connect with tender already bruised flesh.

As soon as the man left the table the two women cleared the table and went to their separate rooms. All was quiet. Michael continued to drink until his bottle was empty. Not finding any more to drink he started toward the room his wife had entered earlier. A moments hesitation and he changed direction. He went to the bathroom to relieve himself. He was in there for quit some time. Upon coming out he went into the bedroom with his wife.

Erik continued to watch for a while almost deciding to leave when he saw the bedroom door open and Michael step out. Erik watched as the man stealthily walked through his home to enter the room that Erik knew to be his daughter's room. Erik had been on his way into the house when a policeman walking his beat curtailed his plans of entering and killing the man that night.

The loud screams from the house only caused a moments pause from the gentleman in the uniform that was supposed to represent protection. Apparently you only rated protection if you had wealth and social status. The poor unfortunate girl behind the walls of this house had neither. Shaking his head the man continued to walk his nightly beat. The screams from this house were not a new occurrence. Almost nightly they were heard. Unless called upon to interfere the police did not interfere in family troubles. Best to ignore it and move along.

Erik shook with rage as he watched the uniformed policeman walk on down the sidewalk away from the screams. It took all his strength of will to keep from following that officer and slowly choking the life from him.

Erik consoled himself with the knowledge that by the next time darkness fell Michael O'Reilly would be a fading nightmare. This man would suffer slowly and painfully. In his last moments he would die with the knowledge that Erik was the one taking his life. Slowly his life would ebb. Slackening the rope would give false hope of release. As soon as hope took root Erik would snatch it away tightening the rope again.

Erik entered the hall of the building and found the door to the O'Reilly's apartment. He lost no time in entering the girl's room. Her father was on top of her doing what no father had the right to do. The girl lay quietly now with her head turned to the wall. Utter hopelessness in every feature of her face.

Michael was grunting and groaning totally engrossed in defiling his daughter. He heard not one sound. Not that he would have anyway. Erik's shadow on the wall alerted the girl to his presence. He allowed her to see him. He hoped she would not alarm the pig of a man taking such ungodly liberties of his own flesh and blood. Her head whipped in his direction. He placed his finger to his lips hoping she would not be frightened and raise the alarm.

Erik quickly took his rope off his belt and tossed it over the head of his target. One strong jerk and Michael fell to the floor gasping and clutching at his throat with both hands. Erik turned his eyes away momentarily from the half naked man. He lay exposed fully if anyone cared to look. No one did.

His eyes alighted on the young girl. She cowered in the corner as far from him as she could get. She clutched the blankets to her tightly. Fortunately for her modesty, such as it was, her father had not taken the time to remove her gown. His interest had been in quick satisfaction. Strangely she did not look at Erik in fear. Her eyes were widened more in wonder than fear.

"If I let you leave you must not alert anyone to my presence. Do not worry about your father he will not harm you or your mother again. Go into your mother's room and stay there until I come for you. Do you understand?"

Erik tried to instill kindness and reassurance in his voice. That was not an easy task considering he had his boot holding her father down on the floor and his lasso was wrapped tightly around his neck. He must have been somewhat successful as the girl quickly left the room. As she passed her father she spit at him. Her hatred was evident. He heard no outcries for help from the hall as she shut the door.

"Ah, now for you my friend. You fucking piece of shit. Turn around slowly and face me. I want you to see who is taking your life before your eyes dim and you see nothing."

Michael turned and a look of horror crossed his features. This was no man before him. This was a demon sent from hell. The creatures eyes burned with a fire seeming to see deep into his blackened soul.

"Why demon are ye' here? You'll no' ha' me to take back to hell."

"Demon? I assure you sir I am no demon. I am only a man. It is not I who will send you to hell. Your own lecherous and dishonest deeds condemn you. Look closely and perhaps your memory will return. I was a victim of your treachery. Oh, pardon me. You must have so many it will be hard to single me out. Well, perhaps not. My face should guarantee you remember me."

Erik brought his face closer to Michael's. He had purposely left his mask off so the man would be frightened by his demonic looks. He jerked on the rope tightening it around the rotund man's throat. Instantly the possibility of his impending death entered the man's eyes. His eyes started to bulge with the pressure of blood flow stopped and gathering in veins about to burst from the pressure. His face turned shades of red then blue. A kaleidoscope of color spreading over his face as the flow of air to his lungs ceased. Erik did not wish him to die too quickly so he loosened the rope slightly.

"Please," Michael choked out pathetically. The rope was tightened again. No more would pass his lips. No air entered his lungs. The burning in his chest demanded air be brought into his lungs. Panic consumed him. He thrashed about under Erik's heavy booted foot.

"Ah , you miserable fuck, you beg and plead for mercy. How many times have you heard pleas pass the lips of your victims? You think I am a demon sir, but it is not I who sneak in and fuck your daughter. You should have gotten down on your knees every day and thanked God for blessing you with a wife and child. Instead you use them to inflate your ego and feed your sick need for power over another person. Well the time for retribution is at hand. If you do have any religious convictions I would seek God's forgiveness now because tonight is the last night you draw breath."

Not wishing for his torment to be over too quickly Erik released him from the restricting rope. He placed it back on his belt. Grabbing a handful of the man's hair he hit the man with all the force he could bring into his lowering fist. His gloved hand hitting flesh made a pleasing sound to Erik's ears. His blood quickened, flowing with excitement upon seeing the first blood trickle from Michael's mouth.

The sight of the man's life giving blood brought about a frenzy in Erik. One he had not felt the likes of in such a long time. Not since his days in Persia had he felt this blinding rage and need for blood to be spilled. Not even Raoul had brought him to this dangerous level of near insanity. That rage had been brought about by jealousy and anger at Christine's betrayal and rejection. This was an altogether different rage. It was blinding and intense. A rage he could not relinquish until he felt the life drain from the body under his hands. Growing tired and afraid of damaging his precious musician's hands Erik removed the Punjab from his belt. With sure and deft movements he replaced the rope around the man's neck and began to tighten it slowly. The eyes looking into his begged for mercy but the mercy he sought was not forthcoming. Little by little his life slipped slowly away. His eyes glazed and lost their light. Even after the body grew limp Erik kept his stranglehold for a few seconds. The rage engulfing him slowly leaving him and his senses returning to normal Erik removed the rope and calmly hooked it back on his belt.

Erik stood over the body looking down searching his conscience for a flicker of guilt but found none. This murder would stain his hands but he felt no guilt and if God deemed him a sinner for that and could not forgive then so be it. At least the two innocent women would be safe and only God knew how many in the future would be spared. He would lose not one second of sleep over ending this worthless man's life. His ghost would not haunt Erik's dreams.

Needing to check on the women he left the room. He knocked softly before entering the room. He did not want to frighten the two women with sudden movement. What he saw when he opened the door made him quite ill and wished the man dead in the next room still had life so he could administer more pain.

The young girl was on the bed holding her mother who was tied to the bed on her stomach. The young girl held a rag which had more than likely been tied around her mother's mouth to silence her screams. Various objects were placed on the bed. Their use was clearly evidenced by the blood on them and the blood coming from the woman's backside. Erik removed his cloak and placed over the woman's naked torso. She deserved that bit of dignity.

"My name is Erik. I only wish to help you and your mother. We must leave here for your safety and mine. Will you trust me?"

"Did you kill him? Did you kill the bastard? If you wish to help that is the only help I ask of you. Please tell me he's dead," she commanded harshly as her arms tightened around her mother even more securely.

"Yes he is dead. I must get the both of you out of here. If you can trust me pack what you will need for tonight and the morning and come with me. Do not take so much that it will be noticed if things are missing. I will take you to a place where you will be safe."

Not saying a word the young girl got up and ran to Erik encircling his waist with her too thin arms. She gripped him tightly.

"Thank you. Thank you. God sent you as our savior. I knew if I prayed hard enough you would come. Jenny said you threatened her father and ever since he has been a changed man. She saw you that night. She was outside playing with her kitten when she was supposed to be fast asleep. When she saw you attack her father she hid behind the pile of trash in the alley. The night you threatened to kill her father changed everything for her and her family. I knew if you were an avenging angel you would help me if I asked and prayed hard enough. I prayed so hard you would come and you did." Her slender arms tightened and she buried her face in his chest.

Erik had never been embraced in such a way before. No one had ever consider him worthy of human contact as a friend. Nadir and Darius were his friends but contact between them was limited to a handshake or a pat on the back. Embracing another was much more satisfying. Susan and his other women held him in lust. All but Susan requested compensation for the nights he spent with them. She showed no fear or repulsion of his face. Not one person had ever told him thank you. Not that he had ever done much to deserve that sentiment but receiving it now felt strange and wondrous at the same time. Someone deemed him worthy of a warm embrace. No threats issued to obtain the embrace through fear, just the pure need to hold another close in gratitude. Quickly allowing himself one firm squeeze of his arms around her then he set her from him.

"Hurry now. Here take this knife and cut your mother's bonds. I'll take care of what needs to be done in the other room. I must make it look like a random act of violence and kidnapping. If you leave with me tonight you can never come back."

"Why would we want to come back? To leave this nightmare life has been my dream for so long. That bastard took my childhood, took something that should have been kept for the one who would one day share my life. My mother has known only pain and suffering since the day she joined her life with that man's. I will not call him father. He may have been the one to plant the seed in my mother's belly but he was not a father. So no I will not miss this place or harbor any sentimental memories. The sooner they are forgotten the better for me and my mother."

The young woman's distress and anger at her father removed any guilt Erik had been feeling for his lack of remorse in taking another's life. When he saw the last light of life drain from Michael's body and felt no remorse, for a split second he wondered if he should feel guilt even if his death was just. Shaking off his maudlin thoughts he left the room, leaving the two women to prepare for their departure.

Erik left the girl and her mother to return to the body. Picking up the feet he drug the man back into the living room. He went to the window and pulled down the cord holding the drapes back. Wrapping the cord around the man's neck he also ran the cord down and tied the man's hands and feet. It would look as if the man had slowly died while struggling with his restraints.

Going outside he broke the window. The glass on the floor inside would give proof to the intruder breaking the window and entering the apartment through this opening. Making sure he had sufficient mud on his shoes he reached up and held onto the window ledge. He scraped his boots along the wall and pulled himself up and entered through the window making sure mud was left on the window sill and on the carpet by the window.

He entered the girls room and carelessly knocked into furniture moving it just enough to suggest a struggle. He swept his hand across the flat surfaces causing the items resting there to crash to the floor. Satisfied with the disarray in the room he continued on to the mother's room.

Entering the mother's room he asked the girl if she could manage to take her mother into the alley and wait for him. After handing him back his knife they left. The girl supporting her mother as they laboriously made their way down the hall toward the back door.

He would join them in a few minutes. After both women were gone Erik removed the restraints the woman had been tied with. He pocketed the ropes. Finding a sack he collected all the items used in the torture of the older woman. Scanning the room to see if any other evidence of her husbands misdeeds toward his wife could be detected. He wanted no suspicions to lead to the woman killing her own husband. Seeing none he proceeded to make the room look as if a struggle had taken place in this room also. The blood would give evidence of the woman's struggle against her attacker. He left the room and walked down the hallway dislodging pictures and overturning chairs and small tables in his wake.

Closing the door Erik then raised his booted foot and kicked the door in. Better to have them searching for more than one culprit. It would look as if someone entered the front and overpowered the father as someone came in the back and subdued the mother and daughter. He would dispose of the sack further away from the apartment building. Perhaps a detour along the river was in order.

Meeting the women in the alley he asked if he could look in the bags to make sure she had not taken any items that would be missed. Only seeing a few pieces of underclothing, two simple dresses and a couple pairs of thick pairs of stockings with many holes Erik could find nothing that would raise suspicions by being removed from the apartment.

"Come we should get you out of the chilly night air and into a warm bed. We can not have you coming down with a fever. Please be assured that from today on no one will harm you or your daughter the way you were in the past."

Noticing the mother's fearful gaze and shivering form Erik spoke to her using his soft hypnotic voice he had used to lure Christine to the passage at the opera and then on to his home.

"Madame I mean you no harm. I have a carriage waiting a couple of blocks down the street. Do you think you can walk or do you need my assistance? It would be no hardship for me to carry you. Whatever you wish it will be my pleasure to make it so."

"Mr. Erik? My mother won't talk to you. She rarely speaks to anyone. The man back there has beaten the spirit right out of her. One day I'm sure he would have gone too far and she would have ended up dead. I would have ended up with an unwanted seed growing in my belly if it hasn't happened already. If she could she would thank you. I thank you for both of us. As much as she hates being touched I know she couldn't make more than a few steps. It took all her remaining strength just to come here."

"Madame I am going to take a step toward you. Then put my arms under you. I will be as gentle as I can be. You will need to put your arms around me. Can you do that?"

The frail woman put her arms around his neck. She breathed in deeply smelling his fresh clean fragrance. Never had she smelled anything so wonderful. Her husband Michael rarely bathed and smelled of sweat and drink most of the time. Occasionally she had even smelled the scent of another woman on him. Not the pleasant smell of perfume but the odor of the aftermath of sex. To have him come to her smelling of another woman had sickened her but she had learned the lesson never to refuse Michael or complain. She turned a blind eye and thought of other things as he took her over and over. When the torture during sex started she began to fear for her life but also to beckon death closer. Her daughter was the only thing keeping her grounded to this earth. When her husband began to go to their daughter in lust Julia began to fight back but he was much stronger and threatened to kill her and Marianne if she spoke to anyone or tried to leave. He even threatened to have her committed to an asylum leaving her daughter at his mercy. Julia knew how easy it was for a woman to disappear into one of those dreadful institutions and never been seen again. What would happen to her daughter then? At least in the same place as her daughter she had the hope of one day freeing both of them. Just days ago she had thought to end both of their lives to free them. Now this God sent savior came and rescued them.

Erik was a little surprised the woman made not one sign of being disturbed by his presence or touch. Truthfully Erik was surprised she had gotten close enough to touch him let alone place her arms around his neck. Her body quaked in fear as he lifted her up. Softly he asked her, "Are you ready Madame?"

"Julia, my name is Julia. My daughter's name is Marianne."

Using what little strength the woman had to voice those two sentences she fainted in Erik's arms. Not since Christine had he had an unconscious woman in his arms. Briefly it occurred to him that he did not feel the searing pain his in chest when he thought of his Angel. Later he would contemplate the reason why. For now he had two women depending on him.

Realizing that he may have to intervene and remove the women from the home Erik had rented a small apartment in a better part of town. He had stocked the home with all the things they would need from linens to food in the pantry. He would contact the small neighborhood grocery store and have fresh fruits and vegetables delivered. The milkman would deliver a quart of milk.butter and cheese daily after he left a note with the landlady informing her the women were now in residence. Erik could not believe how lucky he had been to find the apartment house owned by the gregarious Mrs. Hancock. An English woman transplanted to America when she married her now dead husband thirty years ago.

The coach was where he had instructed his new driver to wait. Nadir was correct. It was easier if one had their own coach and driver at their beck and call. This night he gave special thanks for Nadir's nagging ways.

The ride to the new apartment took only a few minutes. Erik bade them to wait while he opened the door and lit a few of the gaslights on the wall. He used the key that opened the front door leading into the hall. Being careful not to make a sound he climbed the stairs to the second floor. There was only one door leading into the apartment. At the back there was an iron fire escape. The ladder could be raised. There were only two windows in front. They were sufficiently high enough from the ground to cause no concern of unwanted intruders. The two bedrooms had windows but only one was accessible by the fire escape.

Lighting only a few of the gas lamps he deemed it safe to bring the women up.

He returned to the coach and again picked the frail woman called Julia up in his strong arms. Marianne followed behind. Erik strode directly to the bedroom. He waited for Marianne to pull the heavy covers back before placing his burden upon the freshly washed sheets. He covered her and motioned for Marianne to leave the room before him. He turned down the lighting so that only a faint glow shadowed the room then closed the door softly.

"Here is the key. There is sufficient food for a couple of days. Milk, butter and eggs will be delivered daily. If you need more or less just leave a note with the milk bottles outside your door. There is money in the jar on the shelf over the stove. It should be enough for your immediate needs. There is clothing in your room and your mother's. If anything needs altering just let Mrs. Hancock know. She is aware of your troubles. Not everything. Just enough to insure her sympathy and assistance. On the kitchen table is the name and address of someone who will give you and your mother employment when you both have recovered sufficiently to return to your normal routine. Until then take things slowly and regain your strength. You may tell Mrs. Hancock as much as you deem suitable. If you have need of anything just tell Mrs. Hancock. She has an address where she can contact me. If there is nothing further you need tonight I will say my good-byes and wish you well."

Wishing to thank him but not knowing how, other than with mere words, she offered him something she thought never to offer anyone but her husband. She stepped up to him quickly and wrapped her arms around him and pushed her body tightly against his.

"I have nothing to give other than myself. I want to thank you for all your generosity. You saved not only me but my mother as well. I can never give you enough to repay the debt I owe."

She pressed her young lips firmly to his. Her inexperience was evident in the tightly closed lips and the trembling of her body. Tentatively she opened her mouth and pressed her tongue to his lips. Her hands ran over his face and down his chest to the bulge in the front of his trousers. That betraying part of his anatomy surged forward into that tightly grasping hand. For a moment Erik returned that innocent kiss and continued to press his lower body into her hand as she stroked him through the clothe of his trousers. He felt the familiar swell and pressure needing a physical release. For one brief moment he thought to sink into her innocence and drown in that child's freely given kiss. It would be heaven to bury himself in her sweetness and for but a few moments forget the horrible misdeed he had committed only an hour before. To let her warm young wetness surround his throbbing shaft would be heaven for a few moments in this night of ugliness. He would not contribute to the ugliness by using her for his pleasure. He was not her father. He had respect and reverence for women. Coming to his senses he pulled away and gently removed her arm from his neck and very reluctantly removed her hand away from his now overly stimulated manhood. Erik set her away from him and out of temptation's reach. It was harder to push her away than it should have been. His darker tendencies still fought to control him.

As Erik watched her Marianne dropped her head to her chest in shame. Tears falling down her cheeks leaving dirty tracks to show the path of each tear. Each salty drip of moisture was like a needle pricking his conscience. How could he even for one moment have thought to violate this innocent child with his unclean hands and body?

Proud of himself for winning over his darker emotions he also knew they were tethered by a slender thread. At any moment they could rush to the surface and take over making him forget his good intentions in his lust for bodily pleasures. The Phantom had not been put completely to death he was merely in hiding under a thin veneer of respectability. Most of the time Erik found he could control his old urges but sometimes the need for releasing that strong feeling to dominate and control all around him surged to the surface. Recently he had been using those urges to benefit his business. The Phantom had little remorse for weaker natured beings. He had no qualms of turning out families from businesses he bought only to close and dismantle to sell off a piece at a time at huge profit to smaller businesses only to turn around and start a competing business driving the others into bankruptcy.

Gently he placed his fingers under her chin and raised her downcast face up to his. "I did not offer my assistance with the thought of a reward at the end. Your safety and appreciation are the only reward I need. Do not ever think of yourself as a commodity to trade for favors. There is no price that can be placed on ones dignity and self-worth. Set a high value on your favors. One that cannot be paid. Nothing that came before was your fault. You hold no blame. Live from this night on as if you were a newly born person. Leave your past behind and make your future what you wish it to be." He kissed her gently on her forehead then left before his less altruistic darker side could change his mind.

All he wanted now was his bed and to sleep for a day until this night could be put firmly behind him. He would deal with his charges through Mrs. Hancock. There was no need for any personal contact. He also knew it could be dangerous for Marianne if she were to continue to see them. He had turned her away once but he did not honestly know if he could do it again. Better to remove the temptation than to test his will power. The Phantom had none. If he wanted something, he would use anything in his devious repertoire to obtain it. By fair means or fowl. This was one battle Erik was determined to win.


	12. Chapter 11

**Warning: Mild violence.**

**A/N: This chapter will end the first part of the story. The second part will be the years spent with Christine, Raoul and Meg. This will begin the second part of a triangle. Erik will be back it will just be awhile as the rest of the tale has to unfold before all the characters come together. **

**Chapter Eleven **

**Test the Man **

One of life's many ironies faced Erik across the desk in his downtown office. Fate always had a cruel sense of fun at Erik's expense. Looking at the man across from him he could not help the sardonic smile that tugged at the corners of his lips.

Here Erik sat, three days after dispensing justice to Michael O'Reilly across the desk from the third culprit who committed a crime against Erik. Mr. Ox O'Sullivan lounged in the chair as if he visited private luxury offices every day. He sat sloched back with his legs out. His crossed ankles stretched out toward Erik's desk. The third man he sought to settle a score with using any means he saw fit would not stay in any peg hole Erik placed him in. As soon as Erik thought he knew what kind of man he was dealing with a contradiction came to light. This man was a true puzzle. His neighbors and friends saw him as a modern day Robin Hood. If he were English Erik would swear the man was that immortal legend passed down through the ages so that now no one knew fact from fiction. Much the same as the retelling of all the stories of The Phantom of the Opera by Joseph Buquet and all the little ballet rats including Little Meg Giry.

"So Mr. Ox O'Sullivan we meet again. This meeting is a little more to my liking. It shall be just you and I this time. I have not overindulged in drink. You do not know how lucky you were that night. I have killed men in the most tortuous ways for less than what you did to me. As Nadir has told you I wish to hire you to teach me what you know. For this service you will be greatly compensated."

"If you choose to accept my offer of employment I am willing to forget the _**slight**_misunderstanding from our first meeting. If not I intend to make the next few minutes most unpleasant for you."

"I'll no' work for the likes of you boyo. I work for no other than myself. Always have an' I always will. So if you've notin' further I'll be headin' back to my drinkin' stool. That Mr. Nadir is a might persuasive. Had me believin' I'd be led to a wee pot o' gold. Mind ya' now this is a most pleasin' place but I see no gold for ole Ox layin' about."

"Perhaps Nadir was a bit unclear as to the purpose I shall need your services. I would advice to you is to accept my offer." Erik walked to the front of his desk sitting on the edge just in front of Ox. He kicked Ox's feet to the side then crossed his own ankles comfortably. He folded his arms across his chest facing the man with an icy glare. Most men would have cowered under that unrelenting stare. Not so Ox O'Sullivan. His face continued to hold his insolent smile as he returned Erik's look for look. Not a man given to cowardly behavior as far as Erik could ascertain from the information he had received on this complex man before him. Ox was more than what he showed the world. He along with his two cohorts had given Erik a severe beating. That night was an anomoly in what was otherwise unviolent nature. From what Erik had learned Ox rarely used any form of violence on those he targeted to releave of their valuables. Perhaps Erik had caught him on a bad night. Erik also had to concede that his pride had been stung by Erik getting the better of him with the few connections of Erik's fist to Ox's face.

"Looka here boyo I fleeced ye' fair an' square. I might have been a wee bit heavy handed with the fists but no harm done. I must confess I was a wee mift to find myself on the receivin' end of your powerful blows. Not many men have laid a glove on ole Ox outside the ring. But let's no' harbor any hard feelins lad. You're here and I'm here so all is well." In Ox's mind that was the end of things.

As he finished the last words he got up to leave. As he turned toward the door he felt a slim rope fly over his head and encircle his neck in a life threatening chokehold. The more he struggled the tighter the rope became. He felt the menacing presence behind him. He heard the deep rapid breaths. His hands were useless grappling with the ever tightening rope. He stumbled backward. He felt a hard shove to his back knocking him to his knees. He fell forward to the floor. Erik's foot pressed heavily into the middle of Ox's back.

"You are in my world now. In this world I say who lives and who dies. You leave when I say you leave. Have no doubts that I will kill you without a moments hesitation if you displease me. I have killed men for less than the disrespect you have shown me. Do I make myself absolutely clear? I would hate for you to lose your life over a mere misunderstanding. Now, will you return to your seat and listen to my proposal of employment or should I end this now?" Erik jerked the rope to make his meaning clear. He stomped his booted foot into the man's back for added emphasis. Erik had no real plan to kill the man. He was a petty thief who shared what he had with those less fortunate in his neighborhood. If he made a profit at the same time who was Erik to say he was totally wrong? Had he not stolen for many years from the opera house? He had not done so out of any altruistic intentions. His theft had been about survival.

Ox tried to speak but found that with rope so tight around his neck not one sound would leave his lips. All he could do was make rasping sounds. Ox tried to remove that tightening rope wrapped around his neck but with each struggling maneuver the rope tightened more. Again he tried to speak.

Just because Erik sympathized with the man's situation did not mean he would not exact some small revenge against the man. He did have his pride after all. "Oh, I do beg your pardon. It has been so long since I have had an occasion to us the Punjab lasso that I was lost in the moment. Well that is not quite true and I do wish to be perfectly honest in my dealings with you. I did have your friends Michael and Thomas ensnared within the lasso. Thomas fared much better than Michael as you may have heard. Ah, I see by your expression you know the circumstances of my meetings with both men. You as a criminal must understand the power of complete control over a helpless victim. One moment only meaning to frighten becomes an overpowering urge to take the life in your grasp." A gentle tug and the rope tightened further. Erik had been aware of all he was doing. His days of mindless torture of his victim's had long since passed as his insanity had left him. He now thought and acted with a clear head. His statement was to enforce the fact that he would have no hesitancy in relieving Ox of his pitiful life. He wanted to emphasize his power over this man that he had at this moment. A power he would only exert so far and no further. His control over his darker nature was increasing but never far from the surface.

"I ask again, will you return to your seat so that we may carry on a discussion as gentlemen? I will not repeat my offer again. Not many get even the second chance I have given you so think carefully and answer wisely." Erik allowed rhe man enough slack to roll to his side. He wanted to look the man in the eye so he would know that Erik spoke the truth or as much of the truth as Erik wished him to see.

Ox shook his head not taking his eyes from the fierce gaze of the man holding his life by a thin rope wrapped around his neck. The truth of this man's words stared back at him. His gaze did not waver or soften. The man looked as if he dispensed death threats daily as part of his routine.

The rope was immediately loosened and removed then quickly put back on Eric's belt under his suit jacket. Erik straightened and adjusted the jacket of his suit. He tugged his sleeves down over his shirt cuffs. One would never guess by looking at him that only a few moments ago he had threatened a man's life.

"Now some refreshments to sooth your throat and then we will discuss my proposition. No need to be uncivilized or hold a grudge. As far as I am concerned with your acquiescence all past ill will is now buried. I am sure the same can be said for you."

"Oh, aye. 'Tis a waste of time and energy to hold a grudge. I'll be thankin' ye for a wee bit of good Irish whiskey if you have such a thing if not whatever sits on your shelf will be just dandy. I'll no' have none of that women swill called _**tea**_." His shudder when speaking the word showed how he viewed the drink. Personally Erik did not mind tea once in a while and until discovering coffee while recovering at Nadir's he had preferred it with his breakfast. He could not ever remember being offered coffee in Persia. Nadir assured him it was a favored drink as was tea. He had missed so much living underneath the ground for so long. Imagine not tasting coffee for thirty-two years.

Having served himself with a small tumbler of brandy he poured a generous portion of whiskey into another for Ox. The odd man had shaken his head each time Erik had been about to take the bottle away from the glass. When not one more drop could flow into the glass he nodded acceptance. It would seem Ox had a bit of a fondness for drink. His tolerance for the beverage was far greater than Michael's had been. He did not become violent or stupid under the influence. He just got friendlier and thought he could sing well enough to compete with any opera tenor. His songs tended to be a bit bawdy in nature so were not fit for mixed company.

Erik eyed the man for a moment assessing him. He was a brawny beat up man. Still handsome for all his battle scars. He had a thick head of light brown hair that looked as if a comb had never been used to tame the curly strands. He did not smell so Erik thought the wildness of his hair was more because of the unmanageable curls rather than lack of grooming. His piercing blue eyes were clear with no sign of repeated overindulgence of alcohol. Although his clothing was not of good quality it was clean. All in all Ox was a big lumbering man who had used the abilities he had to tend to his own needs as well as others along the way. The information Erik had received stated that Ox was basically an honest man. Once his word was given he stuck by it. Loyalty once earned was given for life. He was a Robin Hood if not **_the_** Robin Hood.

Ox downed the glass all in one long drink without pausing for breath until the glass was emptied. He thumped the glass down on the desk and addressed Erik in a mock friendly tone.

"Well now that the pleasantries are out of the way give the gist of your proposition. There'll be no skirtin' around the truth. Just what use would you be havin' for a tough beat up old Irishman?"

"Your skills with your fists. You will teach me how to, now let me see if I remember what Nadir called it, ah yes. Boxing. I wish to learn how to box. Learn the moves you made when you pounded me in that alley. I can hit well and hard with my fists but the way you fought was almost an art. I wish to learn."

"Pardon me if I'm steppin' a mite out of line but I can hear the French persuasion in your voice. Now I'll no' be judgin' a man for his short cummins but the Frenchies I make a noddin' acquaintance with are a mite on the tender side. They make fine dandies but among real men they fall a bit on the feminine side. They fit well at women's teas or listening at that God awful opera but I fear a refined Frenchman would faint if he had but a few wee minutes in my world."

Erik may reject most of humanity and felt outside the circle of acceptable French society but he was a loyal Frenchman at heart. His heart would forever belong to his native French soil.

"Apparently you have forgotten my rope around your neck a moment ago. Must I refresh your memory? I am a gentleman who happens to be French. I am not a dandy. I do not have feminine tendencies. I have a passion for music and specifically opera. Tea is a beverage I enjoy from time to time. Make no mistake there is nothing soft about my nature." As he spoke Erik pulled the Punjab from his belt. He fingered the strong thin strands of rope with the fingers of both hands. His eyes burned with menace.

Ox swallowed hastily. The man before him gave Ox a real uncomfortable feeling. Not many men could disturb Ox. Ox saw something buried deep but still lingering in his eyes. A cruelty barely restrained. Ox had seen that look before in the faces of the men who entered the ring with one object in mind. The killing of the other man who challenged him. No mercy was given. No mercy was requested. "Now let's no' be doin' somthin' I will surely regret. Let's make no hasty decisions. I meant no insult. I spoke of what I have seen in others I have met. Put the rope back. No need for threats. I can see your not the usual Frenchman. Now what do you propose for ole Ox?"

"I wish to learn to fight properly with my fists. I know how to fight. I want to know how to fight to win. I'll not be beaten again. Make no mistake if I did not have a use for you I would not be lenient in your punishment."

"Now what kind o' way be that to start a proper friendship? Threats. You'll no find it an easy task learnin' about the art of fightin'. A bit a pain will come with the knowin'. Do I have your promise as a gent that you'll no' take any further actions agin me for the misunderstanding we had?"

"You have my word as a gentleman of honor that I will do nothing to harm you outside our training sessions of course. Within the ring I will make no promises to not seek to harm you as much as I can."

"Fair enough. We have a deal. Now when would ya' be wantin' this first lesson?"

"Would now be convenient?" The tone suggested Ox should make it convenient for his own safety. Not waiting for his consent Erik prepared to leave his office. He flagged a cab then boarded after Ox having given his home address. Erik took Ox to the basement of his home where he had set up a punching bag of sorts. He had placed padding around the walls. He did not wish for anyone to get severely hurt hitting the stone walls. Even with the protective head covering damage could occur to vulnerable areas of the head.

The lessons began. Ox did not go easy with the huge masked man. Erik had baulked at the request to remove his mask. Ox had proved it would be beneficial. One wrong hit and the mask would shatter, embedding pieces in Erik's face. His leather mask would not be so much of an obstacle but the dressier porcelain mask could shatter like glass. Ox would not concede to let Erik wear his leather mask either. His theory was that he should be allowed to face the man who was his opponent with nothing hiding the face of the man who would be hitting him back.

Nadir could not watch this senseless exchange of blows. Darius on the other hand could appreciate the skill. He likened the exchange of blows to a dance between two opponents. The objective was not to woo but to overpower your opponent. The movements of boxers did indeed at times resemble a strange sort of pagan dance. Erik learned well this new form of defense. He had heard Ox telling of bouts that were scheduled weekly but were not sanctioned by any authentic boxing club. The boxers were mostly newcomers looking to make a name for themselves. Older boxers who could no longer fight in the ring legally fought in this way to retain their dignity. They were not ready to be put out to pasture just yet.

Erik asked Ox to take him with him the next time he went. He wanted to have a bout with someone to test his skills. Ox warned him there would be no protective gear worn in this ring and he would not be allowed to wear his mask. There were no rules governing the fights. Honor was meted out by each individual contestant. No one expected gentlemanly behavior. These were for the most part highly brutal matches with no holds barred.

Erik agreed to the terms and understood all the risks. He just wanted the opportunity to release some of his aggression without risking going to jail. He could feel a storm brewing but had no idea of the cause. He just knew he had to release this pent-up energy in some form of violence. Violence was second to his music as a way to release the devils that chased at Erik's heels. If violence was to be a form of release from his demons he wanted to be in control of the violence so as not to endanger anyone who may be innocent. Erik was learning to curb his temper but at times he was overcome with emotions he could not control. He no longer wished for these urges to rule him. He wanted to be in control of them instead of the other way around.

The barn was located outside the city limits. There were more people than Erik thought there would be. Bleachers had been built to accommodate the large crowd in attendance. When he thought of it at all he surmised it would be a few men looking for a fight and a few who would watch. The ring set up in the middle of the barn was surrounded by perhaps a hundred men and yes even a few women. Surprisingly most of the spectators were from the upper echelon of society. The men looked for the brutality of the match, the women wanted see the raw sexual attractions of half naked men baring their well muscled bodies. The fights themselves provided stimulation that allowed them to enjoy a wicked hour exchanging passion fueled by brutality. The next day these same refined ladies would be sipping tea in some parlor discussing art or some new poem or great new literature that had recently been penned. For this one night each week they were allowed to lower their refined ways and be a little naughty.

When Erik entered the building with Ox he became the focus of almost everyone around him. _**Who is he? Will he fight or be a spectator? I hope he fights. I would love to see what is under those elegant clothes. My God he has been chiseled from granite. Look at those magnificent hands. I wonder if all of him is equally as big. Hush Miriam. Someone will hear you. So who gives a damn? This is my night and I will damn well enjoy it**__**I think I could enjoy it more with those marvelous looking hands stroking over my skin. You are shameless Miriam. Well just think how shameless I could be with a man like that. Stop it. Your husband will hear. No he won't. He's too busy sizing up the potential competitors for the next few bouts.**_Those were just a few of the comments bandied about. Erik did indeed look impressive. The white of his shirt contrasted with the black of the rest of his attire. He still wore his mask affording him some anonymity. He was quite a dashing figure.He stood head and shoulders above most of the men crowding around the ring. He walked with dignity and carried an air of authority. He neither looked left nor right. He did not hesitate in his powerful stride. Those in his path moved aside for he slowed his step not one bit until he reached the table where contestants signed in for matches.

The gentlemen sitting at the table gave a startled look then proceeded to ask him if he was sure he wanted to enter into this arena. The fights got fairly bloody at times. There were no rules other than the rule against having a weapon in the ring. The gentlemen preferred to watch. He could even place a bet on a fighter he felt looked promising. Nothing could sway Erik from his decision.

_"_No I wish to participate. Ox O'Sullivan can vouch for my ability to participate." Erik looked behind him to where Ox stood patiently waiting until he was needed.

"Aye, he'll give 'em a fair run for their money. I trained the lad myself. Do no' let the gentleman's dress fool ye'. He'll be givin' ye' a bit o' sport."

They discussed it amongst themselves. It was decided he would fight against Tornado Jackson. Tornado Jackson got his nick name because he quickly left destruction in the ring. He had not been beaten since he had fought against Ox. It rankled him that Ox would not step into the ring with him again. Even though Ox had almost killed him the last time he felt he was a much better fighter after two years. He had been in training constantly with a bout every now and then to keep his skills in the ring sharpened. His muscles had gotten larger since Ox had seen him. He no longer looked on in eager anticipation of having a bit of sport. Now he looked to maim and give as much pain to his opponent as possible. He was a popular fighter. Known for spilling blood and lots of it.

"Erik lad are ye' sure about this? Not to go mushin' or notin' like that but I have come to sort of a liken for ye. Tornado is a skilled fighter. He has always been good but now he is a mite dangerous now. He has no fear. Giving pain is his goal now not the sport."

"So I do not have to hold back. I can be as brutal as I wish? I would hate to fight against someone I had to be afraid of damaging."

"If your lookin' for a hard fight with no mercy look no further. Hope yae' know what your doin' lad. Erik I do think ye' might be as crazy as ole Tornado. I still have the name of your friend Nadir should ye' be in need of a doctor." Under his breath he said, "Or an undertaker."

There were four bouts ahead of Erik's and Tornado's. Erik watched the skills of the other fighters critiquing each man. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the man Ox had pointed out to him as his opponent. The man was a massive wall of solid muscle. He had two ham hocks for hands. Erik guessed his height to be about five inches taller than his own six feet four inches. He glanced over at Erik. He caught and held Erik's eyes. The look he gave Erik would have had a lesser man running and hiding. Erik returned his look measure for measure. Erik cowered from no one any longer.

In between bouts young men hurriedly spread saw dust over the floor of the ring. The sweat and blood made it hard to stand upright. The surface got slippery so it was covered with saw dust to give the fighters traction.

It was time for Erik to head over to the ring. His heart had started to pound. There was a thrumming sound in his ears. His body hummed with anticipation. This was how he felt in Persia and in the opera house when he was stalking an intended victim. The adrenaline began to course through his veins.

"Erik a bit of advice before ye' face off in the ring. If ye' can manage to no' get yourself killed in the first five minutes ye' might have a wee chance of at least leavin' the ring with all your bits and pieces. He'll come out hard and strong. He usually hammers his opponent in the first few minutes. He may be big but he does no' have a strong constitution. For all his muscle he will no' be able to last more than four or five rounds. Hit hard then dance away a bit. Keep him chasin' after ye'. Keep jabbin' then steppin' away. Too many hits of his fists to your body would no' be good in any man's thinkin'. If ye' can stay away from him and no' go to meet your maker within that time I say ye' have a wee chance of takin' the dirty bastard."

Having listened to Ox give his advice Erik was now headed into the ring. He observed his opponent bouncing toward the ring punching his fists out in front of him jabbing an imaginary opponent. Erik wondered if he should attempt this display. Deciding he would feel foolish he would forego that part of boxing.

Erik heard his name called just as he reached the ring. Before he could turn Ox approached him hitting him hard on the back. Erik was nearly knocked to his knees. Erik's first impulse was to hit him back, hard. He then realized it was a friendly tap on the back. Or at least what Ox considered a friendly tap on the back. He had seen other men do the same to a fighter headed for the ring. He appreciated the fact that Ox treated him just as he would another man. Erik did not quite smile but he did nod his head once before heading for the ring.

Erik removed his shirt first. The women closest to the ring sucked in their breaths. Not only because of all the scaring across his back but because of the magnificent specimen of manhood he represented. With his partially handsome face coupled with his magnificent body many of the women were all but salivating in anticipation. He removed his gloves. The last thing he removed was his mask. He turned around to hand his mask to Ox along with his shirt and jacket he had placed on the ropes of the ring in front of him. Erik heard the gasps around him. Whether from fear, disgust or approval he did not know nor did he care. Looking around at some of the other more experienced fighters he saw many who looked much worse physically than he did. Huge bulbous noses, enlarged ears, scars too numerous to count adorned the other men in different degrees of ugliness. Alongside some of them Erik looked like a Casanova or as he preferred Don Juan. Yes, in this crowd of mangled boxers he could easily be Don Juan.

Erik's penchant for being able to handle pain served him well. Tornado did just as Ox said he would. His fists flew so quickly at Erik's head and body he had little chance to avoid some of the heaviest blows. He would not have avoided them by running away in any case. Erik did not just stoically stand and let the man hit him again and again. His fists connected solidly with the man's jaw and eyes. At each opening Erik took advantage to pound several gut wrenching blows to his opponents midsection. Bout after bout Erik held his own. Not once did Erik fall to the floor. He withstood each blow while returning with his own attacks. Tornado was beginning to wear down just as Ox had said. He staggered when Erik's punches found vulnerable areas on his body. His hands dropped down giving Erik the opportunity to pound him in the chest and face. Both of Tornado's eyelids were split starting to swell shut. He was blinded by the blood flowing freely into his eyes. A small trickle of blood trailed from his left ear. His nose was dripping blood as if it were a water tap. Erik felt sure they would call the fight. Erik felt certain the man had a busted ear drum and broken nose. Tornado's stagger became more pronounced.

The bell rang after the fifth round. Erik felt the fight should have been stopped after the fourth round. Erik was beating the man senseless. Letting Ox wipe his face he drew in much needed oxygen. He gratefully took the cup filled with water. Ox warned him not to drink. He was only to swish the water then spit it out. A disgusting thing as far as Erik was concerned. Not something he would normally do. Swishing the water he spat into the bucket Ox put in front of him.

"Ox why do they let us continue? It is clear Tornado can not fight adequately. He can barely stand. To continue is pointless. Anyone with eyes can see he is barely conscious."

"I told ye' afore Erik. This is no place for rules or sympathy. They want a knock out or worse. The fight will no' be stoppin' until one of ye' fine gents is holdin' down the ground. Remember there be no rules here ceptin' the rule of kill or be killed. So to speak. If you do no care to continue might I suggest ye' lay the bugger out?"

By the end of the sixth round Tornado barely made it out of his corner. Erik had been toying with him since the last half of round four. He did not want to end it too soon so he held back until the last of the fifth round. In the last few minutes of the fifth round he had pummeled the man senseless. In a legal match the bout would have been called after the fifth round. This was the sixth round. The thrill of victory had begun to wain as the man staggered hardly able to return Erik's punches. Thinking over his conversation with Ox Erik decided it was time to end it. The man could not take much more and leave the ring breathing. This was supposed to be just a way to channel his anger not take another's life in needless violence.

A couple of good strong hits to the midsection and Tornado bent over holding his stomach. He gasped trying to catch his breath. Erik could tell the man was finished. He would not be coming back for more any time soon. Erik heard the chants for him to finish him off. They wanted more blood. The little trickle running from the side of Erik's mouth did not assuage their bloodlust. Erik's eye was bleeding. This was not enough. The mass of blood coming from Tornado did not satisfy them. They wanted a total knockout. They wanted to see a man down in the blood spattered sawdust. Reluctantly Erik grabbed the man by his hair and lifted his head. He drew his fist back bringing it forward into the soft flesh of Tornado's broken nose for the second time. Blood spurted out over Erik's chest. Erik had broken his opponents nose in round four now it was pulverized. The big man staggered a few steps then fell to the ground. He had lost consciousness. Erik took no pride in felling the man even though he knew if things were reversed the man would have gloried in his defeat.

The sight of the blood brought a frenzy of clapping and shouts of approval. Erik had never won approval from anyone publicly before. The masses had never thought him worthy to be a part of their species let alone give him approval for anything. It was a heady drug. Erik felt its power. He lifted his arms in victory and the crowd cheered. He had won. Not only the bout but the approval of all those people out there looking at him without judging him for his face. They saw only the man not the face that needed covering with a mask to hide the monster within. He took little pride in the defeat of the man but he did crave the approval of the crowd. If he could have one without the other he would perhaps find another way to dispel his demons.

In this arena he could allow his hidden monster free reign. The beast could be loosened from his chains. This could be his outlet for all the pent up anger and frustrations he suffered with no way to release the emotions that Nadir or society considered acceptable. This was raw, unrestrained brutality but it was accepted even by the noblest classes. Erik did not have any delusions of grandeur. He knew that outside the four walls of this barn he would still be either ignored or ostracized. In this arena of strength against strength he would hold their esteem. No doubt they would like to have him in their home for conversation value alone if they could have excepted him as he was. It would not occur as they would not openly acknowledge beyond these four walls that they delighted in this brutal sport. Even bet on the winners ridiculing the losers.

Erik's chest was heaving as he struggled to regain his breath. His knuckles ached. He hoped he had not damaged his hands. He looked down and saw the bruising already forming on his hands. His joints were already beginning to swell. His ribs were beginning to look like a dark rainbow in shades of black and blue. It hurt when he inhaled deeply. He had either cracked a rib or broken one.

Somewhat satisfied with his first fight Erik went home to face Nadir's criticism. He would no doubt have much to say to Erik concerning fighting for the express purpose of beating another senseless or being beaten senseless. If he was in luck Nadir would have gone to bed.

Since Erik did not have much good luck in anything other then making money he should have known Nadir would be awake and ready to pounce on him.

Quietly he opened the front door. He did not want to awaken Darius or Nadir if they had by some miracle gone to bed. Stealthily he crossed the foyer. He had just placed his right foot on the bottom step when he heard a voice call out from the darkened living room.

"Do not think you can sneak in without facing me. I would like for you to explain why you snuck out without Darius and I. Even though I do not appreciate the sport Darius and I were willing to accompany you." He reached out and turned on the lamp on the small end table at the end of the couch.

"Allah above. Erik did you get attacked again? Let me get the medical kit. The offer of some ice would be not be amiss I would wager." Erik looked as if he had been chewed then spit out.

When Nadir left Erik slumped in the chair that sat across from where Nadir had been sitting only moments ago. His muscles were starting to protest the recent brutal treatment they had received. He knew he had to face Nadir's censure but he did not feel up to it right at this moment. He would give his right arm not to have to listen to another lecture as if he were a schoolboy. For God's sakes he was a mature man. He made his own decisions and life choices. Why did he always feel so damn uncomfortable when he knew he had earned Nadir's displeasure?

Nadir came back into the living room carrying a larger basket than usual. Their were several rolls of heavy bandages. It would seem Nadir anticipated Erik's injuries. He sat the basket down beside the chair and took his seat. He sat back and folded his hands together resting them in his lap. He let his glance travel over each bruise he could see. His mouth tightened in annoyance.

"So how was your night being beaten to a pulp? Was it worth the pain? Have you gained some new insight while participating in this barbaric sport? I hope you have not damaged your cranium. Lord knows I have begun to think you have lost your ability to think properly. Did you not suffer enough abuse in your past? Now you have to seek it out? Encourage it even? At the rate you are going, in a few years you will not have enough grey matter left to produce coherent thought. Do not expect me to wait on you hand and foot if you become a drooling self defecating idiot. If all you want is a thorough beating I can hit you about the head with my umbrella or walking cane any time you wish. It would be my extreme pleasure. I am quite certain Darius would not mind bashing you a bit himself."

"Nadir I know you do not understand why I have to do this. I need this outlet. I have so much anger in me all the time. I do not know if you realize what a struggle it is for me to face each day. As hard as I fight it sometimes it is overwhelming. I no longer wish to hurt others who are innocent of nothing more than displeasing me. The men I fight in that ring have chosen to enter the ring for reasons of their own. They expect the violence as do I. Tonight I won. It was amazing. They were calling out for me in approval. No one turned away in disgust or horror at the first look at my face or the violence I did to the other man. We were mutual combatants. Evenly matched. The rush of power and acceptance is a very intoxicating feeling Nadir. You have always had these things. Acceptance. Respect. The ability to walk among fellow humans without fearing a beating or being ridiculed mercilessly for the simple fact that God decided to play a cruel trick and give you only half a face. Until you have been without these for many years you will not be able to understand how I feel."

"It isn't even about my loss of Christine any longer. I have all but given up on having her in my life. In fact I have come to suspect I had a narrow escape. Before you ask yes I would still welcome her. I still have love for her. When I think back on our association I realize that she must have known for a good while who I really was. It is not such a great leap from Angel of Music to Ghost to Phantom. After all how many spectres did she think there were in the opera house?"

Without speaking for a moment Nadir began to assess Erik's wounds. He picked up some cotton dousing it with antiseptic. Leaning forward he cleaned the cuts. Erik drew back hissing in pain from the sting of the medicine. Seeing the gash over Erik's eye Nadir sighed heavily. He turned and got the needle and thread. Threading the needle he asked if Erik wanted a drink before he started the repairs to his eyebrow. Erik declined. The cut required seven stitches. Erik's ribs were not broken but possibly cracked. Nadir wound the bandages tightly around Erik's upper chest to give support to the injured ribs.

"Please give your body time to heal before you allow it to be used as a bag for punching. The next time might I suggest you try to keep your face as far from his fist as you can. You can not afford any more scarring. Women are finding you attractive now but if you continue to earn scars on your face your looks could suffer."

"Nadir you and I both know I could look like Quasimodo and I would still be able to attract certain women. If nothing else I have learned that over the past two and a half years living in so called polite society. As long as my pockets are full and I am generous with my appreciation I will not lack for a companion when I need one."

"I have to concede that their will always be those types of women but would you rather not find one who liked you even if you had not one coin in your pockets?"

"Those women would run in the other direction if I so much as took one step toward them. I have heard the way everyone speaks about me at gatherings. My days as the shadow on the wall have served me well when I need information. Unfortunately I hear things I would just as soon have no knowledge of."

"Well if you stay out of the gaming halls and taverns with ladies who will entertain a man for under an American dollar you might find a more suitable woman. As for the way others speak of you I will agree that not all find you acceptable. I have discovered that for every one who finds you unsettling there is one or two who find you fascinating. Your problem is you give up the search and head for the easy pleasures. Not many wives can be found in a dance hall or gaming room."

"Have I said I was looking for a wife? Besides, for the next few months it will not matter. I have plans for the next few months. I shall be extremely busy. I have been in contact with a man in Virginia. His name is Daniel Montgomery. He has been widowed and remarried soon after his wife's death. His daughter was taken or killed in an Indian raid on the coach taking them to San Francisco. He has three stepchildren. Two girls and a boy. He needs an investor and I need his sponsorship into the local society. His family has been prominent in Richmond for over one hundred years. I will not bore you with all the details my detective sent to me. I do not know everything yet but I will. He is in need of money to keep his family finances from becoming critical. I have a report I wish you to read. I would value your opinion."

This was a surprise to Nadir. He thought at the very least Erik would kick up a fuss about relocating again. He had not made any real responses to Nadir's hints about New York not being the best place to make their permanent home. The political scandal in the city gave credence to Nadir's reasons for wanting to move. For the last six months he had been hinting about not liking this city. Darius had even begun to show his displeasure. Darius really did not like this city. He swore that nothing he planted in the garden grew as well or tasted as good as it had in France or England.

It took another four months to settle Erik's finances. It took a couple of months to pack everything up ready for transport to their new home. Erik had hired an agent to find his new home. Erik was so specific with his requirements that it took less time to find something suitable rather than looking over several estates. He settled for an old manor home just outside of Richmond. His whole household was backed and sent on ahead so the servants hired by his agent could set the house in order before he took up residence. Erik had already chosen the bedrooms for the three of them. Instructions were sent as to how each room was to be furnished. The last week before they left would be spent in a hotel waiting for the day of departure. They would travel by train from New York to Richmond, Virginia. A coach had been bought and a driver hired to pick them up at the train station and then take them on the next leg of their journey.

The last leg of Erik's journey had been set in motion. He would soon meet his future. His fated other half. He could either embrace it or turn away from it. Fate had set the course for him. All he had to do was follow through. Obstacles would be thrown in his path. For Erik's sake it was hoped he could pass over the temptations then embrace a life more rewarding than anything he could imagine. He just had to be able to recognize the floss from the flotsam.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Daggers of Betrayal 1871 to 1873 Christine, Raoul, Meg

Across the ocean on the de Chagny estate another man's life hung in the balance in the year of 1872. Not from physical injuries. The blood he shed was internal. The wound inflicted with the dagger of betrayal. His seemingly fatal wounds were inflicted on his heart. The dagger of deceit and betrayal had been wielded by his love, his wife, Christine.

Raoul had taken Christine to his estate outside Paris after leaving the burning opera house. Christine had been so fragile in those first weeks. She would not speak of anything that had occurred that last night at the opera. She clung to Raoul while crying tears for a man who had nearly killed him while manipulating her fragile mind. He knew who she cried for with such desperate longing. While she slept she would call for him. Her Angel of Music.

Once she regained her senses she had asked if they could never speak of him or what happened again. Raouls would just as soon forget it himself. It had been a mutual agreement not to speak of it again. In retrospect he came to regret that decision. Hindsight showed him they should have delved deeper into Christine's feelings for the man who had been such a big part of her life. Perhaps Raoul in the furthest corners of his mind had known but not wanted to see the truth of Christine's bond to her Angel.

Without benefit of marriage he and Christine had become lovers. Christine had begged him with desperate pleas to make her his own. Weakened by his fierce love for her he had given in. He wanted to be married but Christine had shied away from that ultimate committment. His love had blinded him as he accepted her feeble reasoning not to form that sacred bond between men and women. They loved each other. What difference did a ceremony or piece of paper make? He did not feel the need to formalize anything until Christine was ready. In his heart he was already one with her.

Every time he approached the subject she grew agitated. She would go the her bed claiming a severe migrain. Later he would understand that was her unspoken way of rejecting him without uttering the hurtful words. Words she could not use after he had almost given his life to rescue her from that monster who had used her childish beliefs instilled by her father to lure her into his web of deceit.

There will always be certain people who live to observe and comment on the lives of others. These people took great delight in informing Raoul's father of his paramor living in his home. When his father confronted him he protested the term firmly stating Christine was his fiancee. Raoul faced his father's censure proudly. No man or woman would say a word against Christine in his presence.His father gave him the option to end it or make her his wife. He wanted no more scandal. Her association with the performing arts was questionable at best.

If Raoul wanted his father at his wedding he would have to marry quickly as he was packing up and moving to England. France was becoming unsafe for nobles. He advised Raoul to do the same. Raoul could not take Christine away from Madame Giry or Meg. They were the only real family she had.

Raoul loved Christine. He gave her another engagement ring informing her they were to be married within the next two weeks. They would post the banns then find a small chapel to married in with just a few people present to witness their nuptials. If she wanted they could have a reception later as well as a renewal of their vows. Since he had no reservations of his own he made the assumption Christine would be a willing bride. They were married with very little ceremony. Raoul's father along with Raouls' best friend, Michael were in attendance. Madame Giry nor her daughter Meg were able to come but sent along their best wishes.

Michael had stood beside Raoul during the whole mess in Paris. He had supported Raoul when he introduced Christine to his parents. Raoul could not have asked for a better friend. He had continued his support throughout their marriage.

For the first few months the discord in Paris kept them at home. Christine mailed letters to Madame Giry hopping they would make it to her and Meg. The estate had to be kept under armed guard for protection from their own countrymen. Gradually things returned to normal or as normal as one could expect after the horrors of the last few months. One skirmish was settled only to have another break out. Almost a year of torment nearly tore France assunder.

Six months after marrying Christine Madame Giry had invited them to lunch with her and Meg. Hostilities had settled down into minor skirmishes now and then. Life was returning to normal in Paris as normal as one would expect with another battle threatening to break out daily. Paris was getting back into the rythm of living. All France had had enough of death. When Christine and Raoul arrived there had been an Italian gentleman sitting with them at the table. He looked close to Madame's age. To his surprise Raoul had caught Madame blushing whenever the man looked in her direction. It was hard for him to reconcile this blushing woman with the dour strict ballet mistress who ruled with a fist of iron covered by a glove made of steel.

That day was one of the last happy days Meg would have for quite some time. Her problems escalated with each passing month without any permanent offers of employment. She had no wish to disrupt her mother's life. Christine was newly married as she had reminded Meg during that last day they saw each other for many months.

A few months after they had all met in Paris for lunch Meg received a letter from Christine. She had written begging Meg if asked to say their visit went well. She was to tell Raoul if he should meet her or visit her that Christine had spent a wonderful visit with her.

The change in Christine from loving wife to a stranger he barely knew was gradual. It began with small things. Many trips to visit Meg. Over night stays. They made love less frequently. When they did he felt Christine was not entirely willing. He knew for damn sure she was not responsive. Still blinded Raoul thought perhaps it was her failure to become pregnant that made her melancholy. When her excuses began to souund like what they were, excuses, he stopped asking her to his bedroom. She stopped coming to share his bed altogether barely a year after their marriage. He felt he must have done something. Trying to mend things he was as loving as ever. He would give her time. Physical love was important but not paramount to a relationship. Still he lived in his world where he wore blinders.

The rumors started shortly after that. No one said anything to his face but he overheard enough hushed conversations. He turned a deaf ear to what others said. In his misery he gave in one night to a woman who he had been close to years ago. She made him feel like a man. Not some weak willed person who was only around to pay the accounts when they came due. His guilt ended that affair quickly. Alchoholic bliss looked more inviting with each wound inflicted by a gentle denial of sharing anything more than the same house with increasingly cold indifference.

He had continued on hoping their marriage could be salvaged. He thought that whatever problems Christine had would work themselves out returning her to the adoring loving woman she had been when he first married her. All marriages went through trials. If he continued to show her he loved her one day she would return to him. His loving wife.

That dream shattered like dropped glass upon a stone floor. In the light of truth he could no longer delude himself. The level of his gullibility astounded him even as it shamed him. he knowledge came to him over time. Not by any great moment of insight but by stealth of the detective he had hired. One recommended by his lawyer who was also a close friend. He was bound by honor of friendship as well as legal restraints to keep what he knew to himself.

Almost two years had passed since the disaster at the opera house. In all that time Raoul had felt the Phantom was truly gone. Christine had not mentioned him since the first days after the disaster. Even in his darkest lonely hours without Christine he did not connect his troubled marriage to that man who had occupied the lower level of The Paris Opera House. He had begun to breath easier over the passing months even as his marriage deteriorated. He lost his fear the Phantom would come to abduct his wife right from their own home. Nothing had happened. No word was forthcoming out of Paris concerning the masked man from the bowels of The Paris Opera House. In that respect he felt safe. Foolish, pathetic fool that he was.

Raoul de Chagny sat slumped in a leather chair sitting in front of a blazing fire in his study. It was spring but the nights were still chilly. The chill in the air was only matched by the chill spreading throughout Raoul and his home. The air frosted over when Christine was in the same room as her loving husband. For months he had not wanted to believe all the evidence presented to him. His mind could not comprehend such a betrayal by Christine, the fragile innocent young girl he had rescued from the clutches of that damn Phantom. The God damn man plagued them even now after almost two years. He was a blight. A devastating cancer eating away at his marriage.

In retrospection he could see that the problems began a few months after his marrige. Perhaps even before. Christine had not wanted to marry so hastily. He had argued if they were to salvage her reputation they msut get married as soon as possible. He had used the possibility she could well be with child. Later he would remember the look of horror followed by guilt that flashed so briefly across her face.

The late nights supposedly visiting with Meg became more frequent. The rush to get the mail then quickly read the letter then toss it into the fire happened too many times not to be noticed even by a man blinded by love. The sound of another's name on her lips when sleeping killed his last hope. The name of his close friend as well as that of the angel in hell underneath the opera house had crossed her lips as she slept. He had taken to watching her as she slept for that was the only closeness he was allowed even if it was without her knowledge.

Those betrayals he dismissed in his naiveté. Dreams. They were only dreams. However now he had solid evidence. They had just thrown Michael a surprise birthday party at Christine's suggestion. The gossip traveling throughout the evening eventually came to Raoul's ears. Still he stubbornly refused to give credence to gossipers. That was not the worst.

The thing that was killing Raoul was she called for her Angel during a most intimate moment the night of Michael's party. Christine had drank heavily throughout the night. Raoul had indulged somewhat but all his faculties were fully functional. They had been making love or at least he had been apparantly Christine had just been satisfying a lustful urge. Having reached his climax her words cried out in passion seeped into his alcoholic dulled mind. Michael his best friend. Impossible. Unthinkable.

With his new knowledge he had to believe. Now the rumors of her affair with his best friend were circulating throughout their circle of friends. A man he had known since he was a young student at Oxford was said to have bedded his wife. The man he had met at school when he went to Oxford in England and befriended feeling an instant kindred spirit. He had renewed his friendship when Michael had moved to France a year and a half ago. A man he would have trusted with his life stabbed him in the back as a cowardly assassin would. Raoul would have gladly given his life to defend Michael. It had been proven he could not trust him with his wife.

To prove to himself he had to be wrong he had followed Christine one night. Another overnight visit to Meg's she said. Raoul gave her time to hand her overnight bag to the coachman. He watched through the living room window as the coach left. When it reached the end of the drive he had gotten his previously saddled horse and followed the coach. Raoul hid in the trees in the small park across from Michael's house. Christine was assisted from the coach by her driver Joseph. He would be firing that disloyal coachman immediately. The solid front door opened and out stepped the man Raoul considered almost as a brother. Hell he had loved Michael more than Phillip his own flesh and blood brother.

Michael had been there to console Raoul when he lost his mother then his brother. When he had despaired during the whole opera house incident Michael had given him courage to go forward. He stood by him when his family rejected Christine as a proper wife for a de Chagny. He had even stood beside Raoul in that little chapel as Raoul had exchanged vows with Christine.

Seeing the two people he loved most in the world kiss passionately out in the open for all the world to see killed the innocent part of him. Trust, fidelity, respect, love. All useless meaningless words. A dagger to his heart would have been more merciful. Tears had fallen down in a seemingly endless flow for the first few hours. Then the murderous rage set in. That lasted until he reached home. Numbness eased the pain until he entered the house with all the reminders of Christine in every corner.

Then the need for a stiff mind numbing drink took precedence over everything else. That lead him to this moment seeking answers in the bottom of a glass of liquor. The only result of the drink was to add to his morose feeling and a splitting headache blinding him with pain. The damn bottle of liquor held no answers only paved the way to more pain.

Raoul stood and went to the tray holding the liquor decanter. This was his fourth trip to fill his glass. He added more ice and poured half a glass. What the hell. If his pain was not worthy of a full glass what was? He filled the glass. On further consideration he decided to take the whole damn thing with him. Before returning to his chair he picked up the decanter of brandy bringing it with him back to his chair. The way he felt now one or two more glasses would not suffice. He wanted to drink until he could not remember his own name. He would drink until his memory faded of Christine's betrayal.

If he had the courage and he thought it would help he would poke out his own eyes rather than to have seen his wife with his best friend intimately entwined. He had never thought he would feel this kind of loss. Perhaps if he were blinded he would not have to see his misery reflected in the glass of mirrors as he dressed and shaved each morning. His world felt as if the axis had tilted throwing him off balance causing everything to crash down on him crushing him under the heavy weight of his knowledge of Christine's infidelity. He returned to his chair determination in each step of his strong, if a bit unstable, stride.

His body dropped heavily into the chair. A man who usually showed grace and poise cared for neither at this moment. His shoulders slumped in defeat. His head flopped backward onto the high back of the chair. His leg muscles were strained and cramping because of the long grueling ride he had taken early this morning hoping to outrun his thoughts on the back of his favorite stallion Adonis. He imagined his prized horse felt much worse than he did. He remembered he had tried to make amends to Adonis before leaving him the hands of the stable boy Armand.

Raoul had left word with the stable boy to give him an extra long rub down and the special mixture of sweet grains he liked. Before leaving the stable Raoul had put his hand on Adonis' muzzle and rubbed his free hand down from the top of his head to the bottom of his soft playfully nuzzling lips. He had personally trained this beautiful animal. He had planned to use him to sire a mount for Christine. Bending down and putting his hand into the barrel beside Adonis' stall door he took out an apple and let him softly nibble the apple from his hand. One last pat and Raoul had left taking all the worries and heartaches with him. You can forget for a while but you can not lose them by running from them. Sooner or later they outran you. Facing them and dealing with your troubles was the only solution.

Raoul stretched out his legs. He looked into the glass as if it could solve his problems as if it were a great oracle about to depart some great piece of wisdom. Finding no answer he tipped the glass draining the contents. The liquid burned all the way down his throat and on into his stomach creating a false sense of warmth. He refilled the glass and drained it with one quick swallow. The idea briefly flitted into his mind that at this rate he should just tip the carafe up and do away with the snifter altogether. He refilled it yet again. Raising the hand holding the snifter he ran the cold glass over his aching head.

****

Why do I suddenly feel so old? I am only twenty -five and yet I feel like an old man. I feel a heavy weight tugging at my shoulders. God if only I could go back a few months. Would I really do anything differently? Do I really want to live that time over? No. I would not want to go back to that blissful ignorance. God I still love the woman. Why? Why would she do this? How could she betray our vows? I gave her everything. I risked everything for her. When my friends and family told me to take her as a mistress but never give her my name I had been insulted on her behalf and cut them from my life. Michael had stood firmly by my side. I willingly gave up my social standing for her. I was the one who fought tooth and nail to make them except her in the end. Gradually I had won approval and that extended to Christine. She had been a glorious hostess. Everyone had come to love her. They even in the end encouraged her to return to the stage. Her voice was so wondrous everyone agreed it should be shared and not hidden behind being a wife and mother. How proud I was to see her win them over. Her first night back on the stage I suppose is when the problems really started. I should have known the vacant stares and humming those damnable songs of his were signs of discontent. I was so secure in my belief we were happy that I ignored all the signs until the evidence hit me in the face forcing me to see what I had wanted to keep buried. She loved him still. Yearned for him.

Raoul had lived in blissful ignorance for the first twelve months of his marriage. The following twelve months had brought slowly dawning reality to light. At first he had refused to believe the things he had heard being said about Christine. Little things had started to add up until he could not blind himself to what was going on in his marriage.

Thoughts tumbled over one another in his head. In his drunken stupor he had an epiphany. The Phantom's unmasked face swam behind Raoul's closed lids. The face of his friend overshadowed the Phantom's. Raoul bolted upright. Why had he not seen it before? If Christine's Angel had not been deformed he would bare a striking resemblance to Michael. Michael was younger by about ten years but the resemblance could not be dismissed. Same dark hair. Same green eyes. They were of similar height. It was not the comfort of Michael's arms she sought. It was her Phantom lover she wanted.

****

It would seem I was not the only one to be cuckolded. Raoul raised his glass in silent salute to his fellow fool. He would soon have company in his misery as Michael would no doubt soon learn of her treachery. 

Coming to the end of the brandy, Raoul tried to decide if it was worth getting up for more. There were several bottles in the bottom of the cabinet. Making the decision that he had drank enough he closed his eyes. What to do now was the questionrattling around inside him. Flashes of his life with Christine passed behind his closed lids. Lies. It had all been lies. Each and every declaration of love, every intimate moment shared, nothing but lies. Perhaps in the beginning she had really loved him but he concluded her love for the man who lived in the dark drew her back in the end. He would rather she killed him outright than little by little. Raoul was certain she knew of men from the theatre who would slit his throat for a small fee. Not only would she be free to find her "Angel" but she would be an extremely rich widow.

He could not divorce her yet. The scandal would devastate his family. The gossip was just beginning to die down from the incident at the opera. Ironically Christine had begun to find favor within his social circle as her career blossomed. The thing they reviled her for before now found favor in their eyes. Her voice had opened many doors that might have remained firmly closed to her. God, he could not go through all that speculation and whispered conversations again. They had secluded themselves for a couple of months after the opera house fire. It had been hell walking on the edge of draw swords wondering if the Phantom would come and kill him as he slept and carry off Christine to his dark hole in the ground. For months he slept with one eye open waiting for a dark shadow to come with another rope to strangle him while he slept. If he had known the truth he would have been hurt but he would have let her return if she had only said one word. Instead she had professed her love and continued living with him as a wife would then finally married him. At one point Raoul had even asked her if she still felt the same as she had been withdrawn and melancholy in the days before the wedding. She had protested giving bridal jitters as the reason for her nerves. God he felt like such a fool.

As he sat half asleep a conversation returned to him that he and Christine had at the end of last year before his blinders were ripped from him. A time when his ignorance had still clouded his vison. They had been sitting at the table after breakfast enjoying one last cup of tea while reading their mail. Christine had addressed him while holding a three page letter in her hand.

****

Flashback

"Raoul I have been offered a position in England. They want me to sign on as the house diva. They have even sent along a contract for me and my legal representative to peruse. I enjoy singing at the Majestic although I have been thinking it would be good for us to get away from Paris for a while. Get away from all the gossip. You keep saying you would like to visit London again. Why not do it now and stay for a while? A year or two in England could be good for us. We could start over. Consider it a honeymoon. Perhaps we could even think about having the child you want. We would be away from all that business in Paris. You would have no need to worry about him coming to take me away. I need to give them my answer by the end of the month. Please think about it. It would please me very much."

"I don't see why we can not relocate. There is not much holding us here and England is just across the channel. Madame Giry and Meg can easily travel for visits. I would gladly pay the cost of their travel. I know how you miss them. We could make arrangements as soon as things are officially settled. Send a letter accepting the offer. I can work from London as well as Paris. I can use our London office as my base of operations. Father will be overjoyed to have me so close to him. Since all the trouble he has been a little frightened to return to France. Father has hinted he wished to retire soon. This would be the perfect opportunity to see how the English opperations differ from their French counterpart. Why should you give up your dream because you honored me by joining your life to mine? What makes you happy darling makes me happy as well." The thought of little de Chagny running around filled his heart with such warmth he felt he might burst with the love filling every pore of his body. The thought of Christine gracing his bed was no small inducement to his heartfelt agreement. He let hislustful desires rule his head and heart.

"Oh Raoul I am the luckiest woman in the world. Not many men in your social circle would be so generous or understanding. I know it is not accepted in your social standing for a woman to be on the stage but I have worked many years to get to this point where I am being sought out by other opera houses. Your family and friends seem to have gotten past the ideas of what they think theatre people are. To be invited to perform in London would be an honor but to actually be offered such a position is a dream realized."

Christine got up and went to wrap her arms around her husbands neck from behind. Raoul placed his hands on her arm giving her a loving caress. She kissed his cheek. She felt pangs of quilt but she pushed them aside. This was something she needed to do. All her life she had been told how to do everything. What to do. When to do it. Not once had a decision been made of her own free will. She always based her actions on what others thought she should do. This time she was doing what she wanted. She loved Raoul dearly but she had to know if the love she felt for her Angel was stronger and could sustain her doubts. She had made a vow that whatever she had to do she would do it in order to bring a resolution to her feelings. She hated living with a ghost in her marriage. Each lover she shared herself with had some quality of the man who haunted her derams. Her face blossomed with embarrassment as she thought of how she had visions of her Angel during intimacies with Raoul. At times she was unsure if she had actually called out his name. If she had Raoul had either not heard or wished to ignore her transgression. Her affair with Michael she was sure he would not forgive or forget if he found out. Her attraction to Michael was because he looked so much like the man who had been such a big part of her life and even now dominated her dreams and many hours spent daydreaming of his voice and his tender, rousing touch.

"I must go right this minute and write my letter. Thank you again my husband. I love you." Christine meant the words she spoke. She did love Raoul. She was just unsure if her love for him was stronger than what she felt for her Angel. Before they could go forward in the marriage she had to know.

Returning to the present with Christine's false words of love ringing in his ears he cursed her for dangling the carrot of a family in front of him. She knew how badly he wanted children, how important it was. Raoul started to plan what to do next. He must leave his emotions buried deep inside. He must treat this as he would any other business problem. Assess the damage and find a quick and easy solution to solve his dilemma. The first order of business was to waylay one of those damn letters and read the contents. Next find a discreet and trustworthy man to follow Christine and report her comings and goings.

The next few weeks were the most difficult in Raoul's life. He had to pretend his love was unchanged when he could barely tolerate being in the same room as Christine. She was quite a talented actress. As far as that went he was talented himself in that area. She could look him in the eye and profess her love and if he did not know the truth he would have believed every lie passing her lips. Her face still held the innocence of her childhood. It was only now that Raoul knew the truth he could look deeper and see the scheming and calculating woman Christine had become. Perhaps she had changed due to the loss of all she had known since childhood. The opera house was burned and would take years to renovate. Madame Giry and Meg no longer resided just down the hall. As much as it killed his soul to admit it she had to miss the man who had been her comfort and teacher for almost ten years. An attachment was bound to form even if at first she did not admit it or honestly realize the extent of it. None the less it had been there. Only now was he coming to terms with the fact it may have been more than daughterly affection she felt for her Angel. A caring relationship as a brother, uncle or father he could accept but not this destructive love she carried for her Angel of Music. For God's sake she did not even know the man's true name. How could she know a man for ten years and never once ask if he had a name especially after she found him to be not an angel but a man?

What other things might he uncover about his dear wife? Did he even want to know any more of her treachery? He supposed it was better to know the devil one must deal with so one can build a defense. God when had his life gotten so complicated and out of control?


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Dishonored Promise**

A week of patiently waiting rewarded Raoul with one of Christine's letters. Taking the letter to his study his hands shook as he picked up the letter opener and sliced through the wax seal opening the envelope. The words began to swim in front of his eyes as he read. He had expected a love letter from Michael. Never would he have guessed it was a report from a detective. One obviously long in the employ of his dear wife. The detective had been tracking the man the opera house had known only as the Opera Ghost or Phantom of the Opera and personally by Christine as her Angel of Music.

Earlier in the day Raoul stole his wife's personal journal. His guilty feelings of prying on private thoughts he buried under his need to know how far Christine's betrayal had gone. Had Michael been her only transgression? The answers he could not get from the letter he would receive from his wife's own hand.

Having read both the letter and as much of the journal as he could stand without retrieving his firearm and killing his lovely unfaithful wife Raoul dropped both on the floor beside his chair. Michael had not been the first but according to her journal he had been the last. She seemed to have found some sort of comfort with him she could not find anywhere else. After the third man's name mentioned on the journal pages Raoul could stand no more. He had already known he would find Michael's name writen down in his wife's hand.

She wrote of her need to find her Angel of Music. She sought him out in men she took to her bed. For that short time she could pretend he was still with her and sharing her life. Each man had some aspect of her angel that drew her to them. She wrote of her struggle with her shame. She made no mention of feeling any guilt for betraying her husband or the vows they pledged to each other. The shame was not so great that she stopped her search. It did not keep her from another man's bed.

Raoul picked the journal up from the floor and setting the journal and letter in his lap, he dropped his head into his hands. Her voice whispered in his ear. The words were not for him. The name on her lips was not his. The night's of her slip in bed returned with the fury of a summer storms wind. Angel. The word sickened him. At the time he had naively thought she called him an angel having forgotten that was her name for the man who taught her from the shadows. Now he knew for certain she had been pining and fantasizing of making love to that demon below the opera. That was the cruelest blow of all. What sort of man could hold his dignity when the woman he loves calls for another as she lays beneath him in a passionate embrace? Not Raoul. Not any man Raoul knew would stand such disrespect and dishonor. No man wishes to be cuckolded by his wife but especially not with his dearest and oldest friend or a half crazed lunatic who lived for twenty years buried in the ground like a corpse.

Now Raoul understood her true reason for wanting to go to London. The detective had learned of Christine's angel's whereabouts. The fiend had escaped to England with a man named Nadir Khan and another known simply as Darius. He had lived there until recently. Now he was headed to America, his companions still at his side.

Raoul felt as if the past two years had been nothing but one huge fabrication of his mind. Had Christine ever loved him? Had he ever been more than just a safe place to hide while she gathered her courage to chase the man she truly wanted? A part of him wanted to hate Christine. He could not. Damn fool that he was he still loved her. He hated what she had done to him. He could not bring himself to hate her even if for a while he had convinced himself he did. His belief in his hatred had been the only way to withstand the agony he felt. It had been the only thing keeping him sane.

He was pathetic. Not only did he still love his faithless wife but he could feel sympathy for his onetime nemesis. Everyone had lost the battle that last night at the opera. Raoul had thought he had won. It had been a hollow victory. If he had only been willing to listen to Christine's anguished cries for her Angel with anything other than hatred in his heart he might have been able to see Christine cared more for her Angel than he imagined. Arrogance had served him a dish of betrayal. He had been so confident in their love he had brushed aside any possibility Christine held any real feelings of love for that man who lived in darkness. His mistake had been not speaking of the whole matter at the time when emotions were fresh. Honesty would have been more readily expressed when Christine's love had been torn between the two men in her life. Time had only afforded them the ability to bury the truth deeply in their hearts and minds.

The detective Christine had hired had been pursuing Meg in hopes of gaining information. Christine in her cunning knew Meg would not be able to keep information hidden. Her mouth worked faster than the telegraph. Meg was sweet and kind but had no sense of proper etiquette concerning private matters. Christine's detective, Stephen Harrison, had found a letter from a man named Erik Fontaine. The English detective hired by Christine had found the letter and read it. The words written confirmed it was from the man who had terrorized the opera house.

In the letter he sent his apologies to Madame Giry and Meg for destroying their home and taking away their livelihood. He hoped the money he sent was sufficient to tide them over for a couple of years until they could settle into new employment or start a dance school of their own. He had recommended the latter and asked that they let him know if further funds were needed if they opened the school. That letter was written over a year ago. Months after Meg's mother had moved to Italy Stephen had continued to court Meg. His persistance had paid off. A letter addressed to Meg's mother had arrived. The man was obviously not privy to their personal lives.

This second more recent letter told of his departure for America. No reason was given for the hasty departure. He simply stated he would keep her informed of his whereabouts through the post. With this letter he had sent more money. A third letter gave his destination as being headed toward the state of Virginia. It would seem even in a new environment that black hearted devil could not find anyone willing to put up with his murderous ways for any length of time. He mentioned no reason for this departure only that things were not comfortable there and Nadir wished him to agree to moving again. Since he had no great love for New York he was willing to relocate lock stock and barrel. Unlike his homeland, France, New York had no hold on him. Two years after leaving France The Phantom was headed for a place called Virginia, located in America.

_**Quite a generous bastard is our dear Phantom. One would think he had a heart under all the layers of deceit and murderous intentions. I must admit he did have the voice of an angel even if his soul was owned by the devil. I thought Christine was faking her passion the night of Don Juan Triumphant lulling him into a false sense of security. Now I know the passion had been real and if we had not been there she would have lain on her back and let him have his way with her. She would have given herself to that monster. My presence in the box by the stage kept her from forgetting her purpose. Ironic the box I claimed as mine had an equal claim by the Phantom. Box five, the box he demanded for his exclusive use. The decision she made in the deepest bowels of the catacombs was more due to the fact that the mob was close at hand than she chose me over him. She needed to retreat and hide away from further embarrassment. I have given my name to a woman who chose me for safety and propriety. She had written in her journal she loved me but I have a suspicion she has deluded herself to justify her betrayal of both me and the one who truly holds her heart, the damned Phantom. That man will more than likely plague me until the day I take my last breath. **_

Closing the journal and folding the letter he stood and went to his desk. He put the letter back in the envelope. He melted wax and resealed the flap. He then returned the now resealed envelope to the hall table. He ran upstairs and returned the journal to Christine's writing desk. He accomplished all of this without any break in his resolve to keep the hurt buried deep in the darkest corners of his mind. For a time at least. For the last few months they had been preparing to move to England. Now plans would without doubt be changing again.

Sighing heavily in defeat he returned downstairs waiting for his wife's return and wondering what lies she would concoct to get them moved to America instead of England. Raoul was really impressed with Christine's ability to manipulate and scheme. If she were a man she would fit in well with the world of business. Manipulating people to purchase things they do not need was a skill only a few possessed. Clever schemes were needed daily to move money from one person's hands to another to encourage investors to trust others with their fortunes.

He did not have long to wait for further proof of Christine's culpability. Two days after her entry into her journal of the news of her Phantom lover's whereabouts she sought Raoul out and began her new lie.

A sudden offer from America. The opera house in England had renegotiated the previous diva's contract. Christine was disheartened and could no longer put off making firm arrangements to return to the stage. She no longer felt confident in the London opera house. The offer in America would be a boost to her career. The war they were still recovering from had left few talented performers. This would be an opportunity to be in on the beginning of a new era. Her voice could rebuild interest in theatrical performances again. There was no formal offer but she was sure if she were present and could demonstrate her talent they would be glad to have her perform.

Even if she did not get the position right away they could still make this their second honeymoon. Maybe think about a baby. Six months ago Raoul would have been overjoyed with the prospect of having Christine with him on a second honeymoon. The mention of a baby and he would have been jumping to the moon in the joy of anticipation of a son or daughter. Now the news felt flat. Rousing himself he tried to show the proper amount of enthusiasm. It was hard but he managed to fool Christine.

Raoul listened to all her many reasons for making this change of plans. As she told lie after lie he wanted so badly to tell her he knew Erik was in America. He knew of her duplicity. Looking at her he could admire her beauty but the tenderness and feelings of love although not diminished they were buried beneath so much anger and hurt they may never resurface. Or at least buried deep enough to temper the pain. In their place lay the bitter aftertaste of betrayal. His solicitor had recommended playing along for a while gathering evidence. The two weeks Jonathan meant for him to spend watching Christine had come and gone many months ago. Now he watched for the moment he could expose her in the most hateful and hurtful way. In front of an audience of adoring opera fans appealed to him. What better way to humiliate her? His humiliation had taken place in front of over a thousand theatre patrons. Her shame should at least equal his. He could wait.

He laughed quietly to himself each night when she gave her pitiful excuses to avoid sharing their marriage bed. His disgust and disillusionment made her pitiful attempts to avoid his touch laughable as he would never lay a loving hand on her again unless he could ever begin to forget her betrayal. If the time came and she grew suspicious about his lack of ardor he had plenty of ready excuses of his own. He was even willing to fake the inability to rise to the occasion in order to further his plan.

They had an unspoken understanding that no mention would be made of their marital situation. Even between the two of them they did not openly admit any trouble in their marriage. Silent endurance was the order of the day. Every day. Christine had asked for time before intimacies be resumed at one point. Suposedly their relationship was on the mend. Who knows, if they had opened up to each other they might have been able to salvage at least a friendship. Raoul was too proud while Christine was too confused about her feelings. As it was they barely spoke to one another. When they did it was brief and quite terse at times. Almost hostile at least on Raoul's part. Christine was so oblivious to all that went on in her own household she did not even notice how cold he had become or seem to hear his snide remarks when speaking to her.

Raoul learned there was no end to Christine's selfishness and devious deeds. A few days after Christine announced her plan to go to America the post brought an unexpected letter.

Raoul had just finished breakfast when the maid brought in the days mail. There were a few periodicals and some letters concerning business matters. At the bottom of the pile there was a pale pink envelope. He turned it over and saw that it was from Meg Giry. Christine had not heard from Meg in months. He was shocked when he recalled it had been over a year since he had spoken to Meg or her mother. With his marital concerns he had neglected to keep his promise to watch over Meg.

The last time they had lunch in Paris with Madame Giry, Meg and a new man Madame had become acquainted with. That had been shortly after he and Christine had gotten married. Raoul could not recall his name. Meg had been quite excited he recalled to have a gentleman courting her mother. There had been talk of Madame perhaps moving to Italy for a time to pursue the possibility of taking over the position of dance mistress at one of the smaller opera houses in Milan. She would travel there and look into the job situation for her and Meg. Meg would be staying in Paris in the interim.

Eventually Madame Giry had married that man becoming Antoinette Mercer. Meg had not wanted to move with her mother so she had stayed behind. Meg wished to stay in Paris to enjoy her independence. Madame had asked both Christine and Raoul to keep an eye on her. They had both assured her they would see to her safety. Raoul had meant to honor his promise to keep an eye on Meg. He had allowed his marital problems to distract him from all moral obligations

Now Raoul recalled it had been his urgings to Meg to come stay with them not Christine's voiced that day. Raoul and Christine had only been married for a little over six months at that time. Meg had declined Raoul's invitation to stay with them while her mother was away stating it would be easier to look for work in Paris than in the rural countryside. Everyone could see the logic of that so it was left with Meg staying in Paris with the understanding if she needed anything at any time she was to contact them.

Regretfully both Raoul and Christine had neglected Meg over the last year and a half. Raoul had only seen her one other time since the lunch with her mother. An uneasy sence of doom curled around inside of him. What had his negligence caused?

Instead of being addressed to Christine his name was written in the spot where the recipients name should be. Raoul had met Meg only on a few occasions. He could not imagine what she could be writing to him about.

About six months ago Raoul and Christine had been on their way to dinner when he had remembered his obligation to Meg. They had stopped at her apartment to ask her to join them for dinner. Meg had gone reluctantly. She had lost a lot of her vibrancy. She had moved to a cheaper apartment in order to save her dwindling funds. She had assured them a job was just around the corner. Raoul had so many troubles of his own he had forgotten about his promise to Antoinette. Well not forgotten just pushed it to the back of his mind.

If he had been paying attention he would have known all was not well with Meg. She had looked pale and frightened when Raoul looked back on the meeting. Her usual talkative nature when among friends had all but deserted her. She had hardly said a word. Raoul had asked her if she would feel more comfortable living with them. She had looked to Christine before she had answered. She would be staying on in Paris. If she were careful she had enough money to last many months. The opera season would be in full swing long before her money ran out.

Raoul took the mail to his study. He sat everything on is desk except for the letter. He slit open the flap of the envelope with a letter opener. Removing the paper from inside he began to read Meg's letter. With each sentence his anger grew. The disappointment and despair rang out clearly in every word. An innocent young woman suffered because of Christine's callous behavior. A woman she was supposed to regard as her sister. Would there be no end to her treachery? Was she willing to trample on all the people who loved and cared for her? For his part in Meg's hardship he would forever hold the blame in his heart. He had dishonored his word. He had let his problems distract him from his moral obligations. A young innocent had suffered because of his neglect. He was shamed as he had never been shamed before.

Fate was again adding to the pattern of life. Weaving the inticate strands this way and that. Lives once shared in a story of love and betrayal, death and destruction, were being woven into a new more tangled complicated fabric. Some strands were strong and unbreakable. Others were lovely gossamer threads easily broken. Which would stand the passage of time? Who's strands would remain twined together holding strong into eternity?


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Letters of Sorrow and Shame**

**October 23, 1872**

_**Dear Raoul, **_

_**I hope this letter finds you and Christine both in good health. I have seen the two of you less than I would like over the last couple of years. I have tried to reach Christine by letter for over a month. At first I received no response. Then I received her letter informing me of your departure for England. She advised me she would not have time to see me before she left. There have been so few letters I worry there is something wrong with my dear sister. Forgive me if I touch on a sensitive subject but I know how badly you both wanted children. Could this be the sadness I sense in the few letters I have received from my dear sister Christine? Again pardon me if I have gone beyond what is acceptable for a mere sister of your wife. I only wish to help.**_

_**I wrote to Christine asking for her help with my financial situation until Maman can return from Italy. I do not know if Christine has told you but Maman and Monsieur Roberto Mercer have decided not to return to Paris until the opera season is over. A romance had quickly and quite unexpectedly ensued between Maman and Monsieur Roberto Mercer. Well perhaps not so unexpected as it might seem. Maman had not been courted willingly by any man since my father passed. When he showed interest in a friendship while he was in Paris Maman was like a young girl again. **_

_**Maman would shout the roof off if she heard me call her old. Thinking about it objectively she is really not that old. She is only forty-five. Not such an ancient age. It seems that they continued to meet in Milan and the friendship grew into something much stronger. Maman and Monsieur Mercer were married after a whirlwind courtship in a small chapel in Milan. It seems he could not face her leaving him to come back to Paris. Now as I write this I do remembe you and Christine did meet Monsieur Mercer when he was in Paris. How silly of me to forget. Perhaps you remember him from the day we lunched in Paris?**_

_**They are undecided if they will return or make their permanent home in Milan. It all sounds so romantic. I must get used to calling him Roberto. Although I suspect he would rather I call him Papa. I have never been able to call anyone Papa. Would it be strange for a woman of my age to suddenly be calling a man Papa? He has no children of his own and seemed quite happy to have me as a daughter of sorts. He is really a nice man. Perfect for Maman. They were inseparable for the month he stayed in Paris. I think it was the thought of not seeing Monsieur Mercer again that prompted Maman to seek employment in Italy. She can deny this as much as she wishes. I will continue to hold my romantic outlook on their courtship. **_

_**I did not wish to be a burden to them in there new found happiness so I continued to stay in Paris as you know. The last year has not gone well for me. I thought I was ready to be on my own. After all I was eighteen almost nineteen. Now I am twenty yet feel even less prpared for life than I was before. Time and experience have shown me I was not prepared for the harsh realities of life. Maman did not leave without giving me the financing to allow me time to find work outside the theatre or a position in another opera house. **_

_**As you know I had moved to a smaller cheaper apartment. In hindsight I wish I would have done anything other than move into this place I have come to think of as hell. Pardon my language. Please do not tell Maman. I hate that damn soap. Oops. Sorry. **_

_**Things would have not gone as badly for me if my apartment had not been broken into and robbed. I fear it was the landlord or his sons who stole my money but I cannot prove this. The authorities are useless. He is a so called pillar of the community. They rejected my accusations out of hand. Since Maman stopped visiting on a regular basis upon her move to Milan he had started to be aggressive and ungentlemanly in his advances toward me. I should have listened to Manman when she voiced her distrust of him. Typically I had to opose her. As a child every time I went against what my mother advised I ended up in some form of trouble. One would think with age comes maturity or at least a little wisdom. Mine had completely deserted me.**_

_**I fell behind in my rent due to my funds being stolen and the landlord has been demanding payment in one fashion or another. I blush as I write this but I feel I have no choice. The landlord is away for a week. He left me with an ultimatum. Give him the money owed or I must forfeit my innocence. Maman did not protect me all those years in the opera house so I could give myself to someone as payment for a debt. I did not want to barter my body to have a place to live.**_

_**I have enough food for perhaps another three or four days if I ration it wisely perhaps more. Every day I search for any type of work but so far have not had much success. I have been cast in a few minor rolls. I have not been able to find a permanent position. Once it is known who my mother is interest in me wanes quickly. Yes Maman dealt with the Phantom but I myself only ever saw him from a distance. I must pay for my mother's charity to a small mistreated boy who grew into a poor misguided man. I gladly shoulder this burden for my mother did what was right and charitable. I applaud Maman for taking in one less fortunate. It is my sorrow and hers also that she did not have the ability to take him into our home when she brought him to the opera house. If we could have done more perhaps things would have ended differently. **_

_**Please forgive me rambling on about a man for whom I am sure you have only hatred in your heart. I hope someday you will find it in your heart to forgive him. You won Christine's heart and all he has is his memories and dreams of what might have been. He risked everything for love. The manner he chose to pursue his love was not laudable but then that is the nature of man at times. He was honorable in his intention just not wise in his execution of courting the object of his affection.**_

_**To return to the matter most pressing for me, I ask you for your help. I know Christine is busy with her plans for her trip and cannot be troubled with my needs. I have sold everything that I had of value. The last of the coal went into the fire a couple of days ago. I am grateful for the unseasonably warmer weather. The nights are not unbearably cold. Although I fear this gift of pleasant weather will not last much loner. It is October after all. If food and warmth were my only concerns I would not bother you but I fear the return of Monsieur Antoine. Even more worrying is his two sons. I informed Christine of their improper handling of me and asked her to see if you could intervene on my behalf. With all she has on her mind I should not have added to her burden. **_

_**Imagine surviving the The Communard's then the stupid war without a scratch only to suffer injury at the hands of a few of my own countrymen. Of course during that time many Frenchmen turned there backs on their fellow compatriots. War is a stupid way to solve the problems of the world. I suppose it is necessary though as not everyone sees peaceful negotiating would be of benefit to everyone. Men must puff up their chests and assert their superiority. I suppose I am not furthering my cause by pointing out the faults of the male population. Let me stress you are the exception. You are a wise and wonderful man. Have I repaired any damage done with my criticisms of your gender?**_

_**I would not be writing now if not for an event that happened two nights ago. I am ashamed to even put these words in writing. In my mind they are degrading enough but to put them down for another to read shames me. There is no polite or good way to say what happened to me. I was raped. Forced to accept a man using my body in a most horrific manner. Not once and not only by one man. The landlord's two sons used the master key to unlock my door one night. They came with two other men I do not know and really I am grateful I passed out and have no memory of their possession of my body after the first couple of attacks. They had injured me in the taking of my innocence. I am sorry if I am crude but I do not know of another way to say what must be said so that I express the urgency of my need. **_

_**The doctor who tended my wounds did not charge me for his services. He felt I had paid enough with each bruise on my face and body. I asked him why they would beat an unconscious woman and he told me some men were just evil and mean spirited. I think there is another kind of man who would do this but I shall not print those words to describe such a man but I cannot help but think them. The doctor informed me I will not know if there are any consequences due to the rapes for a few more weeks, perhaps even a month. He hinted of a solution to this problem should it arise but I could not use this method as I believe that all life is precious. **_

_**I do not blame Christine for I know if she could have helped me she would have. We have been sisters since I was six and she was seven. Our bond was instant and unbreakable. Please do not let her blame herself for anything that happened to me. **_

_**I would be indebted to you if I could stay with you and Christine for a short time until I can contact my mother. If this is not comfortable for you, I know I am now an undesirable woman, I would ask that you find it in your heart to send me enough money to find myself a better living situation. When I find work I will repay you. If I do not find a position I will ask Maman to send me money. I do not wish to worry or burden her. I know she would return immediately if she knew what happened but in truth there is little she could do other than give me comfort. I do not wish to interfere in her new found happiness. I am sure I can think of some reason for needing more money after all I am a woman and spring is on it's way. Well perhaps Christmas would be a better reason. Spring is much too far away. As you may have noticed I am like a grasshopper. I jump from one subject to another. This has always driven Maman crazy. She would set her mind to discuss one subject only to discover I had forged ahead to something totally different.**_

_**Pehaps I should just state a partial truth. I do need new clohes. She would understand the need for new clothing as most of mine were burned in the fire and could only afford to replace a few items. My wardrobe after two years does resemble what beggar women would wear. I do not say this to influence your decision. Alright, that is a lie. I am blatantly working on your soft kind heart. Did it work?**_

_**If I do not hear from you in the next few days I must leave this place. I have been barricading my door but I must go out soon to look for work again. I will understand if you feel you cannot bring a fallen woman into your home. I understood when Christine told me shortly after your marriage that it would put too much of a burden on your new relationship to have someone in your home especially someone who is unrelated to you. It was sweet of you that night at dinner to offer me a home but as Christine stated earlier that day when we spoke of mother leaving that it would be inconvenient for me to stay at that time. I understood perfectly well how two newlyweds would need privacy. I was not completely innocent at that time. Now I have no delusions of innocence at all. Or should that be illusions? **_

_**I shall wait to hear from you. **_

_**With love and hope,**_

_**Your loving sister Meg **_

Raoul reread the letter several times. His mind could not comprehend the fact that Christine had known Meg was injeopardy and did nothing. To further add to her sins she denied a simple gesture of common decency to an untenable situation. Raoul felt guilt weigh him down. No matter what problems he faced he should have taken an interest in Meg. He should have made sure she was safe. Meg had become an amazing young woman. Even in a time of tragedy she tried to keep a jovial outlook. Her teasing in the letter lightened his mood while still conveying her dire situation.

_**My God she left her sister in that place knowing what was going to happen. Madame brought her up as if she were her own child even at times giving more to her as she grieved so much for her father. I pray Madame can forgive her for I know I can not. I will inform Madame of the situation and the part Christine played in it but I cannot bring myself to devastate sweet little Meg with her sister's betrayal. I will send my assurance that I will take Meg into my home and she will be treated as if she were my sister. She already sees herself as such because of her association with Christine. Christine is even more callous and devious than I first thought. How could she go on with her life as if nothing urgent needed her attention? Even if she did not want to go to Meg herself she knew I would have taken care of her. God in heaven I pray she will not have to bare the burden of an illegitimate child resulting from that brutal violation of her innocence. **_

With a heart burdened with guilt Raoul contemplated what he could say to Meg. How he could make amends? Raoul prayed he could pen the words he needed to give Meg some sense of security.

It pained Raoul to think of the sweet girl he remembered being hurt in such a vile way. He could see her sweet smile and the flash of humor sparkling in her eyes. He could not recall ever hearing one negative comment about her from anyone. In fact he remembered her always being surrounded by people all the time making them laugh and smile at her jokes and comical antics. When she took to the stage and danced there was not a more beautiful sight. Meg was graceful and at the same time innocently alluring. If he had met her instead of Christine he may have courted her himself. He had always found her to be attractive. It would be a crime if her light had been dimmed due to her attack.

Raoul sat down at his desk and took paper and pen from the drawer. He would write immediately and send his personal valet with the letter to Meg today. By late evening tomorrow Meg should arrive and be under his protection. Christine damn well better welcome Meg into their home. Giving some thought he decided he would express his desire to have Meg travel with them to America as a companion to Christine. In light of Christine's recent actions he did not feel she was the best person for Meg to be around but in order to assure her safety he must keep her close.

**_October 23, 1872_**

_**Dearest Meg, **_

_**I am deeply sorry for your recent troubles. There is no need for me to mention such painful memories. Of course you must come to us immediately. I would be remiss in my duties as the husband of your dear sister to neglect your plea and turn a blind eye. In the short time I have known you I feel as if we share a mutual wish for friendship. This will give us an opportunity to become better acquainted. **_

_**I am sending a letter along with my personal valet to assist you in coming to us. Please leave the letter for your landlord. I will take care of the matter at a later date. Pack what you can not bare to leave only. Only your most precious items will come with you. All remaining items consider as recompense to your landlord for payment of rent. If more is needed I will provide the funds. I will be contacting the gentleman, and I use the term in the loosest sense of the word, as soon as we have you settled. I think I have much to discuss with this man. Indeed I look forward to seeing him face to face. His sons warrant a personal visit also. Do not distress yourself with anything further on this matter. It shall be dealt with swiftly and justly. Tomorrow I will personally make arrangements for you to be fitted for all you will need to wear while you are here. **_

_**In a couple of months Christine and I will be leaving for America. She wants to try to perform in an American theatre. I am sure she means to ask you to travel with us as her companion. I am sure she will not mind you coming early. You two must have a lot of gossip to discuss since your last meeting. **_

_**I will not take no for an answer and will be bringing you home as our guest as a dear family member. Remove from your mind all thoughts of being a burden and intrusion on our lives. I extend this offer on behalf of Christine as I am sure she would approve my decision. If she knew she would be making this same offer I have extended to you. **_

_**Until tomorrow little Meg. Keep those barricades firm for just a while longer. I suggest an iron skillet as a good choice of weapon. I always enjoy the role of hero so ease your mind. You are not imposing on either Christine or myself. On the contrary you will bring joy to this otherwise dismally quiet house. **_

_**Your knight in shining armor,**_

_**Your brother Raoul**_

Raoul had hesitated designating himself Meg's brother but he felt she might draw comfort from the fact that he saw her as family. After all she had ended her letter indicating she looked upon him as a brother. He sealed that letter. Taking another sheet of paper and envelope he wrote to Meg's landlord. Placing the letter to the landlord in an envelope. Propriety be damned. He left the evelope bare of any name of the recipient or sender.

He rang the bell to summon his valet. His loyal servant listened to his instructions without questions. Raoul could count on his discretion in all matters of his personal life. If there was one person he trusted it was Henri. The man had taken care of his personal needs since he had became a teenager and it was decided he needed a gentleman to aid his journey from boyhood to manhood. Henri had taught him how to properly dress and behave when with others. Henri was quite an elegant man. All Raoul's morals and codes of conduct could be attributed to Henri. Raoul had spent more time with him than with his own father. He would keep Raoul's council private unless told to do differently. He would not even mention anything to Christine. His loyalty was to Master Raoul and only to him.

After Henri's departure Raoul thought over what his best course of action would be. Christine was away for a few days on one of her trips visiting yet another "friend". Raoul had given up having her followed as he no longer cared to know of her affairs. He would put Meg in the best guest bedroom. The one just down the hall from the master bedroom. Let Christine try to explain to her friend why they no longer shared a bed. If asked he would tell the plain truth of the matter. He felt no loyalty to Christine and saw no reason to protect her good name. The one thing that would hold his tongue was his own need to save himself embarrassment and the shame of being dishonored by his wife.

Raoul had one more letter to write. This one would be much harder. He had to tell a mother many miles away from her only daughter that she had been violated in such a horrible fashion by men who were equal to animals. Even Erik at the height of his insanity did not sink so low as to force his attentions on Christine or any other woman in all those years he watched behind in the dark shadows. He was bound to be exposed to half naked women on a daily basis. Many men who were pillars of society would have been tempted with such a daily influx of temptation. To have all those beautiful women and not be able to touch them had to be torture. From what Raoul understood Erik had never lain with a woman. Had never even kissed one until Christine had given him those two kisses underneath the opera house the night it burned. When Raoul thought of all Erik had been through in his life and all he had missed he could almost feel sorry for him. Raoul would not hate him so much if he had challenged him for Christine as another man might. If he had not let his obsession of her rule his head they could have behaved as gentlemen and competed for her hand. If they had perhaps they would not now be in such a mess.

Raoul waited until he had Meg safely under his roof before he wrote to Antoinette. He had wanted to be able to say fore certain she was safe and well before penning one word. Taking pen in hand he began his letter to Madame Roberto Mercer.

**_November 1, 1872_**

_**My dear Madame Mercer**_

_**This letter is not an easy one to find words to fill the paper without admitting my guilt and shame in the shabby treatment of your daughter. If not for my neglect she would not now be in her present situation. Perhaps it would be as well if you wait to read further until you have your husbands strong shoulder to lean on.**_

_**As your daughter told me when she informed me of her plight there is no nice or kind way to say what occurred. **_

_**Madame it grieves me to inform you that dear sweet Meg was violated by four men in her apartment. Her landlord was threatening her. His sons, we are sure, broke into her apartment and stole all her funds. The dreadful man gave her an ultimatum. Either pay in full with money or in kind. I am sure you understand to what I am referring. He went away for a couple of days telling her he wanted her answer upon his return. **_

_**His sons took it upon themselves to break into Meg's apartment with two other friends. Meg was treated in a most inhumane fashion. Naturally she wrote to me. I am shamed to inform you that she had made a plea to Christine earlier for funds. Christine for whatever reaason did not respond to her plea. In the end she finally replied to Meg's many letters. She told her she could not help her as we were newlyweds. She did not feel comfortable inviting Meg to stay with us or asking for money. I have since learned Christine is not the person we thought her to be. **_

Roual went on to tell Madame all that had been happening. He assured her he would give Meg all the care he would give any member of his own family. He told her of all Christine's duplicitous actions over the last two and a half years. Raoul made sure to express the extreme care Meg would receive when they reached America. As he was sure Erik had more than likely written to Madame Raoul briefly told her of Christine's search for her Angel. The Phantom. This man he now knew as Erik.

_**In conclusion Madame rest assured I will take excellent care of your daughter. Although I failed in my duties before I give my solemn word I will protect her with my life as I would still defend Christine. I will not fail her or my honor as a gentleman again. **_

_**We have developed a good and strong friendship. More like brother and sister really. To set your mind at ease I have no romantic interest in Meg nor would I ever compromise her by making any type of advances to her that would make her uncomfortable. Please, as much as I know you want to come and be with Meg at this time I feel she needs to get away. She is quite excited about seeing a new part of the world. As Christine's sister she will have all the benefits of any de Chagny relative. She is beginning to forget or at least recover somewhat from her ordeal. She is blossoming. Her old sparkle is coming back. She is quite a prankster. Many times the pranks are directed toward me. Rest assured I do not mind. I find her rather delightful. She has brought laughter back into this old mausoleum. **_

_**Let me set your mind at rest. All expenses incurred now and in the future will be met by me as her brother. She will want for nothing nor will her child. I know you are in contact with Erik. God how hard it is to think of him as anything other than The Phantom of the Opera or Opera Ghost. I suppose I will have to get used to thinking of him as a man as I am sure our paths will cross. I am aware you will inform him that we will be joining him in the great American state of Virginia. Do not concern yourself with Meg's safety. I am sure Erik will want to insure Meg's continued tranquility. I will be a gentleman as long as he can swear to be the same. **_

_**Your loving son if not by law or birth then by spirit, **_

_**Raoul **_

The threads of fate were weaving more strands into the intricate pattern. Nothing was set in stone. The pattern can be changed by a simple decision. People say fate is a fickle woman. It is not fate that is fickle. It is the people she has in her power who are fickle.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Truths of a Friend

Meg had been with Raoul and Christine for two months. It had been confirmed she was with child. She had cried non stop for hours, days. Raoul had done his best to comfort her. Christine surprised him by showing a little concern for Meg's situation. She had even spent the first month of Meg's stay at home with Meg. They had walked in the garden and gone into Paris shopping. Christine had helped Meg with her new wardrobe. In her new colorful clothing she looked quite charming. 

If she had not been in a delicate condition Raoul would have invited a few of his close friends for dinner in order for Meg to meet a potential beau. Her sweet nature and innocent beauty would have had them falling over their feet to win her heart. Raoul himself was attracted to her but he sought only friendship as they both were in need of kindness and understanding at this time in their lives. Neither of them was ready to offer anyone anything more. As for sex Raoul resorted to what he had done in his youth. It was not as rewarding or as warm as a woman but he could trust the hand that gave him pleasure. He did not have to look to see if a dagger was going to be plunged into his heart or his back.

No one mentioned the black and blue of Raoul's eye or the bandaged hand a few days after Meg came to stay. He walked with a limp for a couple of days. No one but Henri and Raoul saw the bandages wrapped tightly around his chest. He had bruised ribs from the blows of a fist. Raoul was in pain but he could hold his head high. The men who hurt Meg would think long and hard before attempting anything like that again. 

Watching Meg's distress over the first few days he knew nothing would make her feel safe except knowing the men were no longer a threat permanently. He could not tell her of how he had finally dealt with these men. Raoul had set in motion events that would remove the men permanently. 

Sweet little Meg had just gotten to the point where she did not jump every time Raoul spoke a little louder than a whisper. She still jumped at every sudden noise. She would not look anyone in the eye. Meg hung her head in needless shame. Raoul wanted to tell her it was not her fault. She had done nothing to be ashamed of. It was those animals who should feel ashamed.

He wanted to tell Meg she had nothing to fear as he had spoken with the so called gentlemen who attacked her. Neither man would be bedding a woman any time soon. They had been lucky Raoul did not follow his first inclination which was to emasculate them. Instead he beat them to the point of almost extinguishing their lives. The only thing holding him back was the thought of going to hell and having to spend eternity with those vile men. He had other ideas of disposing of these low life excuses for men. 

Raoul had taken Henri along with him as he visited each man. After a thorough **_discussion _**with the men Henri had been instructed to deposit each man on the steps of the police station. With their proclivity for theft they had to be wanted and if not they would spend an uncomfortable few nights in jail. The jails were so full of criminals it took days for men found innocent of crimes to be set free. The wheels of justice turned very slow unless someone had influence. If a person was influential while also being so inclined the wheels could be made to come to a grinding halt. Prisoners could even become lost in the system for weeks or months. 

Meg's continued fear as well as almost nightly having nightmares lead Raoul to the conclustion she would never feel safe unless those men were permanently removed. 

It was not unheard of for men to be murdered while waiting for release. A word in the ear of the right prisoners and another man could easily be disposed of. Most men in the prisons were thieves or petty criminals. A few were guilty of worse crimes but almost to a man it was not proper to harm a woman or a child. A grown man was one thing but the weaker beings were to be protected. 

An old school friend on Raoul's was representing a client on trial for burglary. A few names dropped, with some details of crimes committed casually mentioned at a dinner one evening, set in motion the plan to eliminate Meg's attackers. Raoul's friend had taken the hint. Money had anonomously been given to Pierre's client along with certain instructions. Raoul felt very little guilt for his actions. 

The newspapers carried an article just this morning about three men who had mysteriously been slain while in jail pending an investigation of whether charges could be brought against them for any crime other than vagrancy. The men had been found on the steps in front of police headquarters a few nights previously. It was unfortunate but these things happened occasionally according to Captain Louis Armand. 

He gave an extensive interview hoping to draw attention away from the fact thatthree men who had not been charged with anyseriouscrime had been murdered in a jail under his command. Charges of theft, rape and murder were suddenly discovered to have been perpetrated by all four men. Due to the sensitive nature of some of their crimes names would be withheld as no further action could be taken and in order to protect the innocent no further details would be released to the public or press.

Raoul was satisfied with the results. Now Meg could breath easier. She would not be completely able to relax but it would give her breathing room until her mind and body healed. Being in a delicate condition did not bode well for her future. Raoul would make sure neither she nor her baby would want for anything. He looked forward to being an uncle. If he could not be a father, a doting uncle would have to satisfy his needs to be a parent. He had made that promise to himself with or without Christine's blessing. 

Christine had gone into Paris this morning and had left Meg behind. Raoul knew this was not a shopping trip. This was a trip to find some relief from missing her Phantom lover. The days when the thought of her with another man drove him to ride the countryside until he could no longer himself in the saddle and his horse could take not one more step were gone. The days when he would go into his study and drink himself into oblivion had at last passed. For a month or so he had sought solace in the arms of an old lover from his youth. That only lasted a short time. He broke off the affair with no hard feelings but a much lighter purse. 

His pain had been replaced with a need for revenge. It worried Raoul somewhat that he had this need to hurt Chrisitne. His mother would be ashamed of him. Henri told him a gentleman would have counted his blessings to be over his infatuation with the woman and moved on with his life. There were plenty of beautiful willing women out in the world. At this point Raoul condemned his gentlemanly ideas to the devil and the thought of intimacy with another woman made him almost wish to be an eunuch. He was almost to that level of disillusionment but not quite. 

Having taken a leisurely bath he went into the garden to find Meg. She was like a ray of sunshine even when the sky was overcast with the blackest clouds. So many times in the last months he had wished he had fallen in love with Meg. Despite his attraction to her he valued her friendship more than anything. Her soft voice soothed him even when nothing else could. Her friendship was worth more than any physical gratification.

First he went to the kitchen to request a breakfast tray be prepared for him to take to the garden. After sweet talking Ella she gave in. His confession and apology of a past misdeed won her over. Ella filled a tray with jam and scones fresh from the oven. She added tea along with a bowl of sugar and cream. Napkins along with plates and silverware completed the tray. Raoul never made his servants feel as if he ordered them to do anything. He made it seem more like a request. He had the respect of all his servants even those who shamelessly gossiped about the master and mistress of the house. 

Waving aside Ella's offer to carry the tray Raoul made his way to the garden. It was chilly but the sun was shining brightly. 

He found Meg in the garden reading a book. She was wrapped in a woven light blue shawl. She looked so much at peace he hated to intrude. Her pregnancy was not noticeable yet. She still had her slim dancer's figure. Her skin had taken on a healthy glow in the last few weeks. Meg was not cursed with morning sickness. Raoul had heard from some of his friends who had wives that it could be devastating for some women. Lasting long into the pregnancy. Meg's condition seemed to agree with her. She got more beautiful with each passing day.

Coming alongside her he set the tray down on the table between them. He poured Meg a cup of tea adding two spoonfuls of sugar no milk. She thanked him shyly. At times she was shy with him at others she was open and bold like no other woman he knew.

"Good morning Meg. I hope you have not eaten yet. I asked Ella to prepare this tray for us. There is tea and fresh baked bread with strawberry jam and freshly churned butter. The jam was made just last week. I seem to remember you helping and ending with a large portion on your apron as well as your face."

"I could not help sampling a little. How was I to know the lid of the jar was not tightened. If it had not been on the shelf I would have noticed it was halfway opened. I wonder how it had gotten loosened? We made sure they all sealed tightly before putting them on the shelf to cool."

"Well I can not resist telling the truth to such a beautiful woman. I might have opened the jar and taken a small taste. If Ella had not come back in the kitchen I would have had time to close the lid tighter. It is all her fault really."

"I find your judgment to be faulty. How could Ella hold any blame in your mischievous act?"

"I am her employer what I say goes. Oh, Meg do not look so disapproving. I was teasing. I spoke with Ella and confessed my guilt. She forgave me hence her willingness to prepare a tray for us to enjoy for our breakfast. If you ever commit a breach of etiquette in the kitchen I know the boss and can put in a good word for you."

"Thank you Monsieur. You are too kind but it is not my etiquette we should worry about. In case you were wondering I knew who the culprit was. I did get my revenge though."

"Oh, how is that Little Meg?" His arms were folded across his chest as he sat back in his chair. He had a smug masculine look plastered across his face which quickly gave way to shocked embarrassment when she explained.

"Well do you recall a couple of nights ago when the towels in your bathroom mysteriously went missing? You thought we had all retired for the night and went to the hall linen closet to retrieve more? I knew I could count on your chivalry. You would not wake a servant to wait on you when you could do the task perfectly well yourself."

He wondered if he were really that boringly predictable. "Yes I remember it all too well. I was hoping your memory would have faded a little."

"How could I forget the sight of you with your robe flapping around you and you with not a stitch on underneath. All your manly charms on display. We did enjoy the entertainment. You are the topic most discussed when we are in the kitchen having our daily hen parties. I bet you wished you had taken the time to tie your robe properly. A woman does not forget such a magnificent sight Monsieur de Chagny especially since I was the culprit who took your towels. Did it not seem odd that all the women of your household were suddenly in the hall at the same time for no other reason than to catch a glimpse of your manly chest? Your face was priceless. You turned several shades of red. If I may be so bold I will confirm that all the feminine members of this household agree you have nothing to be ashamed about. You have impressed them all with shall we say more than adequate equipment in certain areas?"

"Mademoiselle you shock me greatly. You little vixen. You have single handedly destroyed any dignity I may have had. How am I to preserve my stern lord of the manor after something like that? I have not been able to look anyone in the eye for the last few days. You are a trouble maker little Meg Giry. I should have known something was amiss when suddenly the hall was filled with females all giggling. So I guess we are even then. I thought we had settled the issue of you addressing me as Monsieur de Chagny. It sounds too much like my father. I am Raoul. Truce?" He handed her a scone with jam. She took the offering with a wide grin. He had never noticed her cheeks had dimples before. She really was a charming young woman. He thought again it was a damn shame he had not fallen for her charms instead of Christine's.

"Truce, Raoul." Looking over at him shyly yet with just a hint of devilish impishness she continued, "You really do have a magnificent chest though as well as other redeeming features. I am too much of a lady to be more specific than that. You should hear what some of the younger maids say about you. You think me bold well you should hear them. I blush at half of what they say."

Leaning forward with a playful grin spreading across his face his interest peaked he said teasingly,"Do tell. I simply adore having my ego stroked."

"Not for all the tea in China. I would not want your head to swell so big you could not fit through the door. Besides, I have been conversing with you in a less than acceptable fashion as it is. You do tend to make me relax Raoul. If I have not said it before I will say it now. You are a wonderful person. Not everyone would be as generous to someone in my position. Many would show me the outside of the front door."

"Meg how many times must I tell you that you are family? If not by blood then by the care and love you and Christine shared as you were raised by Madame Giry. Pardon me I keep forgetting Madame Mercer. Christine is thrilled to have you here." The lie almost choked Raoul as it went from his vocal chords and past his lips. 

"Raoul we both know that is not the whole truth. Christine and I once shared almost every detail of our lives. Well except for one certain area. When you brought me here Christine was at first like her old self but the past few weeks a change has come over her. It is similar to how she behaved when Erik, her Angel of Music used to give her lessons. Regardless of what everyone thinks I am not so naïve that I do not know what is going on in this house. Christine spends every night she is home in her own bed as do you. If you do not wish for the whole of Paris to know you should take care to hide this fact from the servants. Some are not as discreet as they should be. There are nasty rumors of infidelity. Not only ones committed by you but by Christine as well. Please forgive me if I speak of things that are private. I just wish things were different. I hate what has happened to you and Christine."

"Meg you may speak to me of any concerns you may have. I truly am sorry for any discomfort we have put you through due to our difficulties. I assure you I no longer have any outside interests. The one I had was over almost as soon as it began. I can not say the same for my dear wife as I do not speak for her. I do love Christine as much as I ever did before. Things have just gotten muddled. We will find our way in time. One way or the other. Let us forget my problems for today and enjoy this wonderful sunshine. It suits you by the way. So have you written to your mother yet?"

"No and I do not intend to until we are out the door on our way to the ship. If I wrote to her now she would be here as soon as travel arrangements could be made. I would be in her home so fast I would not get to see the passing scenery on the way to Italy. This way she can do little to prevent me from leaving. I am looking forward to starting out in a new place. No one will know me. I could even pretend to be a widow. Would that be too wicked of me Raoul?"

"Of course not. It is not your fault this happened to you. People still insist on placing blame on the woman in most instances like this. That is the way it has always been. Times are changing but not quickly enough to help your situation. Decide on the story you wish to tell and I will support whatever you want. No one will question a de Chagny. Once it is seen you have our support nothing will be said. We have influence even in America. Our family has a tobacco plantation somewhere in Virginia. I have never been there but before Phillip died he had stayed there for a couple of months. Perhaps if we have time you might enjoy a tour. Phillip said it was a grand old place with beautiful gardens."

They continued to discuss her options as they ate their breakfast along with drinking their tea.. During the meal they spoke of making appointments to dressmakers to order Meg dresses that would be more befitting a woman in her condition. After the meal they walked along the bank of the pond behind the house. Conversation stayed on neutral topics after that. 

Knowing Raoul would not discuss the private matter any further she let the matter drop and followed his lead in the topic of discussion. It would seem he had made a doctor's appointment for her to ensure her health before they had to board the ship for America. Something had been toubling Meg other than Christine. She decided the best course of action was to ask what she wished to know.

As they walked along Meg saw a bench ahead just to the side of the path. With her usual skipping steps she approached the bench sitting down. Smiling in Raoul's direction she patted the seat inviting him to join her. Once he was seated she turned to him saying, "Raoul something has been bothering me for quite some time. You have not said anything but I have noticed your father has not come to visit you the whole time I have been here. Is it because I am a fallen woman? Did my being here cause some rift between you?"

"Oh Meg. You worry too much. As for my father he left for England just after Christine and I were married. He packed everything lock, stock and barrel. He was afraid of what was happening in Paris. He knew his servants would not remain loyal. Once trouble broke out he would be on his own. He had seen trouble coming against the aristocracy. He had sold everything he could. Cleaned out all his bank accounts transferring everything to England. We do not see each other often but I have been to London a couple of times."

"I opted to stay in my ancestral home. My servants are very loyal. I would trust them with my life. On a lighter note I would not trust them with anything personal I did not wish to have spread all over France within a days time. Happy?"

"Thank you kindly Monsieur. I am just glad it had nothing to do with my situation. Which is becoming a little noticeable as of the last few weeks" She placed her hand on her stomach which indeed had grown just the tiniest bit. Not really noticeable but she seemed proud of her progress. Given her situation one would surmise she would dread the coming months. Meg seemed to look forward to them. 

Meg looked into Raoul's kind honest eyes. Raoul was so thoughtful and kind Meg could not understand how Christine could have fallen out of love with him so quickly. They had seemed to be the perfect couple. Christine always was her own worst enemy. She could never seem to accept happiness. She always expected something to come along and ruin things. Many times it was her own insecurities that eventually drove friends away or she would lose an opportunity for a part due to not having faith that she was good enough. Meg had always tried to make her feel secure but it was hard dealing with Christine's problems and her own teenage troubles as well.

Later Christine had her mysterious teacher who bought her special gifts. Taught her to improve her voice. Erik had done so much for Christine. Only now could Meg see how truly selfish Christine had been. She had to have an inkling as she got older that the Angel of Music as she called him had to be just a man in order to give her the things she longed to have but could not afford on her own. Meg thought Christine had been willing not to look too deeply beyond that she had an angel. To ask too many questions would have destroyed her fantasy. Her dream. 

A couple of days later after Christine had returned from her trip Meg came upon her in the dining room having an early breakfast. Christine had not returned until the late hours of last night. Meg and Raoul had already retired for the night.

Looking at Christine she did not look like a happy woman. For all her pursuits outside her marriage she had not found whatever it was she sought.

"Good morning Christine. I am so glad you have returned home. We have hardly had any time to talk lately. Do you mind if I join you?"

Motioning to a chair with her hand Christine spoke softly to Meg, "Please sit here by me. That way we do not have to shout at each other across the table. I have never understood why we have this huge dining table but have no smaller table to enjoy a cozy breakfast. In our next home I must be sure we have a little nook somewhere for the times it is just the three of us."

"Raoul told me that this table has been in his family for generations. He has many fond memories of family meals and conversations while eating a meal with his mother, father and his brother Philippe. During holiday celebrations or family special events his family from all over France would come to share a meal and spend a few days catching up on all the family events. He has spent many holidays with his family gathered around this table."

"Imagine you knowing such personal things about Raoul. It would seem you have had quite intimate conversations with my husband." An unexpected spark of jealousy hit Christine. Why should she be jealous of anything between Raoul and Meg? Her feelings for Raoul were long gone were they not?

"Conversations you would be privy to if you were home more often. Where do you go? Have you not realized how badly you hurt Raoul each time you walk through that front door and leave him without an adequate reason for doing so? Christine you must stop whatever you are doing. The servants are beginning to talk. It won't be long before all of Paris knows you and Raoul are having troubles."

A look of anguish washed over Christine's face. Her face crumpled. Tears began to flow down her face. That she suffered from some anxiety or guilt was apparent. Meg could only imagine how deep her shame ran. 

"I can not stop Meg. I wish to God I could. I have tried but in the end the need grips me and I must give in or go crazy. I miss him so much. He had been a part of my life for so long. He was a constant source of love and comfort since the first night I arrived at the opera house. He sang to me. He soothed my fears. Every day I would spend hours with him. I would tell him my foolish little girl dreams and he would listen. Not pretend to listen as others might have but really listen and comment on my little troubles. Nothing was ever too small or too foolish. I need him to be whole." Once she started speaking it was as if a dam had broken down and the water came rushing forward in an unstoppable torrent. Her words were the same as those rushing waters.

Christine did not need to say who it was she spoke of with such yearning. Her one time teacher and tutor occupied a place in her heart and thoughts that should be reserved for her husband. This man, not an angel, this man named Erik. 

"Meg I thought I loved Raoul enough. I do love him. Very much. I thought I could be happy with him. I truly did. I have tried so hard. For the most part I have been happy. In the beginning passion burned in both of us. Raoul is so kind and tender. So generous. So loving. I wanted the things he could give me. I miss my Angel. It hurts so badly. I feel as if htere is nothing inside of me but an empty void." Christine pressed both her hands to her chest for empansis. 

"I did not want to live my life in the darkness underneath the opera house. I had suspected for the last couple of years that my Angel was becoming more than just my teacher just as I suspected he was not an angel. He would leave me gifts. Oh how I loved those gifts. Given to me and no one else. He told me not to get involved with anyone as it would interfere with my career. Meg I was so selfish and stupid. I enjoyed his attention. I was the only one he came to. The only one he wrote the managers about. I was special to him. I suppose deep in my heart I knew he wanted more from me than just to share music. I knew it but I could not give him up. Was it cruel of me to give him false hope all those years?"

"Yes, Christine you have been unbelievably unkind and cruel. You used a man as fragile as Erik for your own selfish needs. I know you lost both of your parents but I lost my father as well. Maman has been like a mother to you. She spent more of her spare time with you because you grieved so. I did not begrudge you her attentions. I knew she loved me as well. Christine you have to let this man go. Raoul is a wonderful man and I fear you are letting go of something solid and real for a dream. I would hate for you to come to realize too late that you do love Raoul with your whole heart then realize this obsession you have with Erik is only because you are clinging to something from your childhood. 

"You now realize Erik was not sent by your father. He was not an angel. He is not even a particularly good man. This is not his fault. Erik has never been shown how to love or care for another. Everything he has ever wanted he has had take. He has had to fight for things we take for granted. His whole life has been one long struggle. Nothing was ever freely given to him other than my mother's affection and help all these years. Maman did mention that Erik knew a man that he respected above anyone. Monsieur Nadir Khan I believe his name was. Erik has done the best he could with what he has been given. I am only stating a reality not passing judgment." 

"I do not wish to embarrass you or make you uncomfortable but there are rumors starting to spread from party to party. Every social function we attend someone has some snide comment. They would never say them to Raoul or to you in person but they are all too willing to spread gossip behind your backs. Soon it will be all over Paris. I have defended you whenever I hear such rumors. I would hate to find out I am the fool in this. Raoul hinted that things were not well between the two of you. Now you practically confess your infedelity."

"Oh God. Please tell me Raoul does not know of all that I have done trying to appease my yearning for my Angel. You must believe me at first the encounters were innocent. With each man I would swear it was only companionship. Sometimes that's all it was. Then I felt myself drawn to Michael. We would talk, share a meal, walk in the park across from his home. As we met more often talking was not enough to assuage my longing for my Angel. Each time I met with Michael I would tell myself it was the last time. To my shame I was not strong enough to stay away. I miss my Angel so much. It is almost a physical pain. Michael is the only thing that brings me temporary peace. I know I should feel some guilt but all I feel is cheated every time I have to go to someone other than my Angel. I should have been given the chance to find out how I felt about him. Everything was decided too quickly. I was so confused and frightened. My Angel's temper frightened me so much I was afraid to stay with him as much as I wanted to."

Meg noticed that Christine never referred to her teacher and benefactor as anything other than Angel. Could it be Christine did not know the man's name? Surely that was impossible. 

"Christine can you not at least humanize him and call him by his Christian name?" Seeing Christine's blank expression Meg continued in an awed voice, "You do not know his name. You care so much for him yet you never asked for a name. His name is Erik. He is a person not an angel. Just an ordinary man who makes mistakes as others do and has the same needs. A man who feels extreme pain in the careless hands of others. Well perhaps extraordinary better describes Erik. He is far from ordinary. 

"As for how much Raoul knows you would have to ask him. We do not discuss your relationship or lack thereof in any great detail other than what I deduced on my own and heard in gossip. He wishes to keep your relationship as private as he can. Not since our first conversation have we spoke of anything concerning your shared lives. What I know I have garnered from the servants gossiping amongst themselves. They are all too willing to discuss your business and speculate. They discuss your private affairs incessantly although they are less than discrete where they hold these discussions. Nor are they particularly quiet in their speculating on your marital status." 

"I hate to think of what would be said of me if we were not leaving before I start to show more than I already do. Anyone within listening distance may hear in great detail how the master and mistress do not share intimacies any longer. Who would know better if you share a bed or not with your husband? You do not even make a pretence of sharing anything intimate with Raoul. I have heard he had a mistress for a short time. It only lasted about a month. Are you aware that he seeks the comfort of women elsewhere? Do you care?"

"Of course I care if my husband seeks the bed of others. He is no more guilty than I. How can I hold him at fault when I continue to seek affection from others? While I seek comfort in the bed of another? I try to resist going outside our marriage but something pulls at me. Some need Raoul can not meet. I fear I am in search of my Angel in the bed of other men will not stop until I have found him again.. I tried to imagine Raoul was my Angel but I felt so shamed afterwards. Am I crazy to not feel the guilt over sharing myself with others but have such remorse for thinking of my Angel when sharing intimacy with Raoul? Is it shameful of me not to want or care to know the name of my teacher and protector of so many years? Even after the first night he took me to his underground home and I took the mask from his face I did not care that he was just a man. The only thing that upset me was that my childhood dreams were shattered. It did not occur to me to even ask if he had a name. To me he was always just The Angel of Music. My Angel sent to me by my father. My comfort in the dark lonely hours of the night. He has always been and always will be mine and mine alone."

"Did you ever seek to comfort Erik in his dark tormented life? I can see by the look of guilt that you had not. Poor man. You took so much from him yet gave nothing in return. It would have been a greater kindness if you had left him when you saw him as a man. If you had explained to him your true feelings perhaps you could have salvaged your close bond. I think he loved you enough to let you go with Raoul without any animosity if you had reassured him you would not have left him alone. My dear Christine, did you not see that you were being cruel not only to Erik but to Raoul as well? Both men love you with an intensity I have never seen or experienced. I can only hope if I find such a love I am kinder in my treatment toward the one who wishes to receive my love."

"I do feel shame but I still want both of them. I have love for both men. Do I feel more for one than the other I do not know. Perhaps right now I feel more for Ang… for Erik because I know how hurt he is. I know he is alone. He needs me more than Raoul ever did. Through my selfish needs I damaged my Angel. I wish I had done things differently but we are stuck with this reality. I have to make amends Meg. I have to let him know I care. That I always cared even though I was too much of a coward at the time to admit it I did love him. I need to find him. Meg I have to follow him. I have to find him if only to make sure he is alright. I have a detective who is tracking my Angel for me or rather Erik. He only reports on Eriks whereabouts. Anyting intimate he said should not be reviewed by a woman. What does he mean by intimate? My Angel would never be with anyone intimately. He loves me. Wants only me. I need him Meg. I need him so much."

"Christine is that why you were seeking to go to England last year? Now you have an urgent need to be in America. Please tell me I am wrong when I think your desire to go to these places were spurred by the fact that Erik was in England and now resides in America."

Raoul had told her as much but she could not believe it until she received admission from Christine. Only then would she truly accept Christine could do such things. The silence condemned Meg's sister and friend. Her bowed head a silent admission of her guilt. 

"Oh Christine did you learn nothing from Erik's mistake? Can you not see only heart ache and destruction are on the path you have set for yourself? Speak with Raoul. He is not an unreasonable man. Please try to salvage your marriage before it is too late. Christine no matter what you feel for Erik or think you feel it is not anything based on what love should be. Nothing in your relationship with Erik was normal. Please think before you take an irrevicable step. Please." Meg felt her words fell on deaf ears. Christine had become as obsessed with Erik as he had once been with her. 

Christine's shoulders began to shake as her sobs grew louder. Even though Meg abhorred Christine's treatment of the two men she was still Meg's beloved sister. Wrapping her arms around Christine she cooed to her as if she were a little girl in need of comfort. Meg hummed a comforting lullaby her mother used to sing to them at night before they went to sleep. Only when Christine quieted and calmed did she stop. Giving her an affectionate hug Meg told her to run upstairs and wash her face before Raoul came in from the stables. Dinner would be in a few minutes and she did not want to face her husband with red swollen eyes.

Meg prayed for all of them to come away from this mess their lives had become with their hearts in one piece. So much needless damage had been done. Damage inflicted by those who were supposed to love with their whole heart. Meg had thought Raoul and Christine the perfect fairytale ending. Now it was some twisted horrible waking nightmare. It shook her faith in ever finding love. If they could not keep their love what chance had she to even find someone? Was she to be forever alone? The thought of never sharing the sort of love two people who care about each other shared made her want to cry. She did not. Giry women did not cry. Well only occassionally did they allow themselves to give into such an emotion. 

Where would this all end? Meg cared for both Christine and Raoul. She wanted to comfort both when they needed it. How could she help them? Meg felt so helpless to do anything. She had not done such a good job of taking care of herself how could she hope to help anyone else? 

Meg knew nothing she did would change anything. All she could do was wait and see what happened. She could only stand by waiting to give comfort or advice when needed. That is all she could do for the moment. Tomorrow was another day. A day of possibilities. 


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Bon Voyage**

A few days after Meg and Christine had their talk Meg went to the doctor. Christine felt guilty having neglected Meg when she needed her most. To compensate she went with Meg to the doctor. Afterwards she treated her to lunch at the finest restaurant. Finishing lunch a wave of nostalgia swamped over her for the closeness they had shared at one time. Christine took Meg to a boutique that catered to new mothers. Soon the excitement had both women adding to the pile of purchases.

Raoul would be shocked at the amount of money they spent. It was worth it though to see Meg so happy. Christine felt like she had before her life had become a shamble of confusion. Meg was exactly what Christine had needed. She had always been able to keep her grounded. Meg for all her crazy antics was in truth a wise young woman. She had saved Christine from making mistakes on more than one occasion. Meg had always been the first to bolster her confidence when she tried out for larger rolls. Long before her teacher had made his demands for her to have major rolls Meg had encouraged her to audition many times.

Meg had never even scoffed or made fun of her when they were younger and Christine told her about the Angel of Music who came to her at night singing and talking to her. Not once had Meg laughed at her. A better friend than Meg could not be found. As a sister she was more than anyone could hope to have. Certainly more than Christine deserved.

Meg had never told a soul about the times she had come upon Christine trying to commit some foolishness. So many times Meg had been her savior. How could she had gotten so tangled up in her own life that she had left Meg alone to battle against those horrible people?

Christine wanted to promise to be better in the future but she knew herself all too well. At times it was a struggle just to maintain her own sanity. Meg knew and understood as no one else would have, except perhaps Erik. He fought his own dark demons. Only a person who lived with those dark shadows every day could even begin to know what it was like to have whispers in your mind urging you to release yourself from pain. 

Meg was that rare person who could see the bad in someone while at the same time searching for the good. She forgave the bad as she encouraged the good. Christine thought it was this ability to see all of who a person was that made Meg understand what deep barely controlled sickness that took over Christine on occasion. 

Meg was given a clean bill of health by the elderly doctor. Since she did not suffer from morning sickness it was deemed safe for her to travel. Her baby would be born in America. He advised her to find a doctor as soon as she arrived at her destination. She would need a midwife as well. The doctor would be able to recommend someone to her. Her baby would be due sometime toward the end of July. Meg would be about six months into her confinement when they arrived in America.

The house was closed with little difficulty as they had made most of the preparations last year. Passage was booked for all three. Meg was given a cabin of her own. She stayed in first class with Raoul and Christine. This was a luxury that was unexpected but greatly appreciated. Meg was overwhelmed by the luxury. She thanked God Raoul had made her add to her wardrobe. The day with Christine shopping had added further choices to her now completely packed closet. The lovely gowns she had now would allow her to fit in with all the other fine ladies and grand gentlemen. Meg had purchased nightwear and undergarments as well. She had to pinch herself to be sure she wasn't dreaming. She felt like a princess in a fairy tale. A slightly rounded one. 

The tub had hot and cold running water. No one had to carry heated water from a stove or fire place. There was even a flushing toilet. Meg was fascinated with this. She flushed it several times. Raoul finally teased her to get her to stop. He told her she was flushing her share of allotted water away. Her worried brown eyes looked at him pleadingly. He did not have the heart to continue with the joke. 

Raoul spent a great deal of time teaching Christine and Meg English. They could speak enough to ask for food, water, or amenities. Any question concerning opera they could give a comprehensive reply. Many of the performers at The Paris Opera House spoke English as well as Italian, German and a little Russian. It was a necessity to know how to communicate with the foreign performers. By the time the ship reached the harbor in Norfolk they were well versed in the English language. Meg and Raoul had gotten closer during the voyage. He got pleasure showing her the many levels of the ship and how things worked. He showed her the constellations in the night sky. Christine even shed her melancholy long enough to join them occasionally. If Raoul did have the knowledge of Christine's betrayal eating away at him he could have used this time to romance his wife and try to win back her wavering allegiance. His hurt and anger kept him from having anything other than feelings of common courtesy for his wife. 

The voyage was uneventful. Meg blossomed with each passing day. Raoul could not help but notice that she had a serene beauty. Being with child suited her. His pleasure in Meg's condition and good health was tempered by the bitter pill that he would not be fathering any children any time soon, if ever. 

He and Christine had an unspoken truce of sorts for the first few days. At times they were even cordial to each other. It annoyed Christine that Raoul paid so much attention to Meg. She couldn't honestly say why. Christine had even gone so far as to try to seduce Raoul one night when he had a little too much to drink. Raoul's kisses built the fire in her just as he did when he had first courted her at the opera house. He had been drinking heavily during dinner. He passed out and could not perform his husbandly duties. 

Christine had to go to sleep frustrated. Raoul had never not been able to make love to her when she wanted him. Even with the excuse of too much drink she felt rejected. It was ridiculous of course. She wanted Erik. Raoul had only been attractive to her because she was upset with the relationship between Meg and Raoul. She did not even really want him. She definitely was not hurt that he had not made love to her. In the dark Christine could fool herself. It is a shame the sun came up and chased away the dark. 

Before they docked and left the ship Raoul decided to speak openly with Christine. This armed truce would make things difficult for everyone. Especially Meg. She was placed firmly in the middle. It was unfair and unhealthy for her peace of mind. He had concluded after much soul searching in some small measure this whole mess was his fault. He had rushed Christine into marriage. He had not given her time to sort out her feelings. He arrogantly assumed she loved him making the choice quite simple. He loved her she must love him. 

There had been signs of her hesitancy if he had cared to pay attention to what she had said during her moments of her greatest despair. In those first few weeks after the opera house disaster he had listen with a closed mind to her pleas to find out what had happened to everyone after that night. She had wanted him to ask Antoinette about her Angel. Raoul could not bring himself to inquire about the man who had held him with a rope tied around his neck. The same man who tried to kill him in the cemetery. 

Looking back now with a clearer head he could understand her concern for a man who had been for the most part like a father to her then a mysterious voice from the shadows who taught her to sing. After he had shown himself to be a man Christine had told him she had still gone to him for her lessons. Even knowing his intentions were to win her heart. 

So many mistakes had been made in haste. Love acting out blindly is a dangerous emotion. Powerful but dangerous. In one night it had brought them to deaths door almost pulling them through that portal to the black abyss. If not for Erik's great unselfish act of love Raoul would have lost Christine. He could say with certainty he would have tracked them down until either he or Erik was dead. Perhaps they had all lost in the end. None of them had gotten what they wanted. 

For everyone's sake Raoul had to let her go so she could find resolution in her feelings for Erik. He loved Christine with all the burning passion in his soul. He was not willing to stand submissively in the background waiting while she explored her relationship with another man. He had to many months of that behind him already. For all their sakes he had to let her go.

Even if she found in the end she did not want Erik, Raoul knew he could never have the same kind of feeling for Christine. He loved her deeply but all his trust in her was gone. He would always guard his heart from her. Two people in a marriage could not be happy without complete love and trust. 

Knocking on Christine's bedroom he waited for her to give her permission for him to enter. Turning from the mirror where she had been fixing her hair she swiveled on the vanity stool to face him. The smile on her face quickly gave way to concern when she saw the seriousness of his countenance.

Raoul entered the room then immediately he began to pace the length of her room. Now that he was here he had no idea how to start this conversation. Stopping his pacing so he could stand in front of her he began his painful speech. Only a few words into his narrative he resumed his pacing.

"Christine I think we need to come to some sort of agreement. We both know our marriage is over. I still love you deeply. I can never forget what has gone on before but I can forgive. I have thought long and hard how best to handle things in such a way that we both feel comfortable. We need to know what to expect from one another."

"I have come to the conclusion it would be best for us to dissolve our marriage. I do not want a scandal so I feel a gradual separation would be best. I have known for some time you are chasing your ghost. Your phantom. I think I always knew in my heart you felt more than you would admit. I should not have forced you to marry me. I could have spared us both a lot of pain. I must shoulder much of the blame for the problems in our relationship. I would not allow myself to face the fact that you could care for another man. I should not have forced you into marriage. For that I humbly apologize."

"Raoul I..." She faltered not knowing what to say. Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by tight fists. Should she not be feeling relief? Gratitude? Why did she feel as suddenly a solid floor were turning to quicksand? Why did she feel so bereft? So alone? God had she once again made a terrible mistake? Looking at Raoul's handsome, honest face she could honestly say she did love him. It was not the torrid heat of the forbidden love she felt for Erik. Did she only feel passion for Erik. Once her curiosity was satisfied would she then regret having lost Raoul? 

In a moment of nostalgia for what they had once shared he took both her hands in his. He had loved her with his whole being. There was nothing she could have asked he would not have done for her. Kneeling down in front of her he said softly, "I have tried to be the best husband I could be. It was not enough. Perhaps I will be a better friend. I hope I can say this without choking but I am even willing to help you find him, Erik. Madame had sent me an address we might check. He may have moved on but how hard can it be to find a masked man?"

Raoul felt her stiffening even as her breath quickened in excitement. Just the thought of that man excited her. Raoul sighed in resignation. It was truly over. There was no going back now. 

"After all that I have done I do not know what to say to your generosity. I do not think if it were me I would be saying the same or offering my help. I always knew you were too good for me." As tears began to fall down her face she bowed her head. Her chest began to tighten. Breathing became difficult. She did not know if they were tears of joy because she might actually find Erik or tears of sorrow for finally losing a man she might still love deeply. Why must she always make decisions that left her feeling as if her life was on a downward spiral?

Placing his hand under her chin he raised her head so she was forced to look into his eyes. The pain and love looking back at her nearly killed her. She had done this to him. To all of them. Her selfish indecision had brought two men to the brink of killing each other. She had singlehandedly destroyed her marriage while instilling mistrust in a man who had always been so open and trusting with everyone. She had taken that from him with her betrayals. 

"Christine you were always good enough for me or any man. No one can help who they love or do not love. If you had loved me I would have ended our days a happy, content man. Give me some time. We can put this behind us. I give you my word as a gentleman I will try my best to ease your way. Time is a great healer so everyone says. It may take a while but I too may find another love." 

Abruptly standing he said, "Now this is certainly a discussion I never would have imagined myself having with anyone, least of all my wife. Mop your face then come out on deck. Meg and I will be waiting. We can watch the shoreline come into view together. Hurry or you'll miss it."

After Raoul left Christine could not stop the heavy flow of tears. As she had many times before she had dark thoughts of ending it all. All her life she had fought against deep depression. Most of the time she could cover it up with her performances. When she was performing for that brief time she could keep at bay the darkness that called to her. Erik had come into her life at a time just when that darkness had begun to overwhelm her. Even as a child of six or seven death had seemed a kinder state than living daily with pain and disappointment.

Meg and her mother had been two bright spots that held her bound to this earth. If not for them she was sure she would have joined her father and mother long ago. Then Raoul had come. Her knight. Her prince. 

She smiled tenderly remembering how enthusiastic he had been. How sure he always was how he felt. He never hesitated once to say he loved her. Never faltered in his defense of her with his family. Even when he must have begun to suspect she was not true to him he had still held faith with her. It had only been in later years he had lost his trust in her. Then his mistrust had only come when the evidence could not be denied. 

Christine had nearly taken the easy release to her pain when she had learned of his infidelity. Ironic considering she had betrayed his trust many times. So many demons had hounded her at that time. Her own tenuous grasp on reality coupled with his affair had driven her to either take her life or find someone to fill the empty places in her heart and soul. She could not have her Angel but she could have some semblance of him in the men she found to fill the black void that always threatened to consume her. She had taken many lovers trying to ease her emptiness.

Christine wondered if she had spoken with Raoul if he would have understood or would he have wanted to put her away as her father had wanted to do with her mother? Her mother had taken the decision out of her father's hands by slitting her wrists. That bit of information had come from a little girl she had played with on occasion. They had an argument that ended in the little girl telling her quite graphically what her mother had done. Parents should watch where they discuss such horrible things. Children may seem not to listen but they do. Then as is inevitable they repeat what they hear. Christine at a young age would listen to private adult conversations. Especially after hearing the nasty things her friend had said about her mother. 

Perhaps that place she tried to fill was not empty from lack of love or anything else. Perhaps it was just an impenetrable darkness that only more darkness could enter. It was some flaw in her. She remembered her father had discussed her with a doctor once when she had been caught holding a knife. She just been sitting in her room staring at it. To this day she was unsure why she had taken the knife or what she had planned to do with it. 

She had listened at her father's study door as he and the doctor had discussed her inherited frailty. She had been much too young to understand most of what they had said. In later years she had known what her father had worried about whenever she had one of her tantrums or became melancholic, going for days without speaking. As hard as Christine had fought that dark world that beckoned her sometimes it seemed so close she could feel its coldness. 

Listening to adults conversations around her was how she learned her mother did not die from some unknown disease as well as a spiteful playmate. Her mother had taken her own life during one of her periods of deep depression. Christine could vaguely remember her beautiful but terribly sad mother. Nothing seemed to make her happy. Not her husband who she loved deeply nor her child who was the center of her existence. 

When the darkness encroached Helene, her mother, took no notice of her surroundings. She paid no attention to a grief filled husband nor a bewildered little girl. Back then Christine could not understand her mother's coldness during those times when she took to her bed in a darkened bedroom. As an adult she knew that darkness well. It surrounded her constantly beckoning to her to join her mother and father. So many times she had come close to giving in. Someone had always pulled her back into the light. 

Perhaps she had so much darkness of her own she did not want to add Erik's when he had begged her to stay with him. With Raoul's life hanging in the balance she had offered to stay with Erik. She had even placed the ring he had ripped from her neck during the masquerade ball so he would know she had agreed. She would have stayed with him. She would even have loved him. Sometimes she feared if she had stayed she would only have succeeded in leading them into the forever darkness of death. 

She hoped she was strong enough now to give Erik what he needed. Perhaps he had a life now where he needed no one else. Raoul had let her go. Only when she was with others could she hope to keep that black hole from taking away all the light. What would she do if Erik no longer wanted her? How could she survive alone? 

Nonsense she chided herself. Of course he would want her. Shaking off all negative thoughts she turned back to her mirror. Forcing a smile she did not really feel she began to hum as she applied her makeup. Spritzing on some perfume she dressed. Just as she finished a maid came to pack the last of her things. 

Holding her head high she went to find Raoul and Meg. A new and wonderful phase of her life had begun. She would soon have her Angel to take care of her and give her guidance again. Soon Erik. I will be with you soon.

They arrived in Norfolk, Virginia the last of April 1873. A watery sunshine greeted them as they stepped off the ship onto American soil.

The day of their arrival in Virginia was exciting as well as stressful. Raoul noticed Meg's energy was beginning to wane. Raoul quickly hired a coach. Having handed helped the women into the coach. After asking the driver to take them to the train station he stepped into the coach. After assuring himself both women were comfortable he tapped on the roof of the coach to signal the driver they were ready to leave. With a lurch forward they headed toward the train station. Thirty minutes later they boarded the train that would take them from Norfolk to Richmond. Not having eaten since early morning they indulged in a lavish meal in the dining car. Meg could not decide what to order. Indulging her he ordered several different entrees as well as several mouth watering desserts. Meg declined the wine. She settled for an iced lemonade. 

Meg looked out the dining car windows at the passing scenery. If she would not have had to climb over several other passengers she would have gone from side to side looking at the vast fields and occasional stately homes. Everywhere there was something new being built or something old being rebuilt. Raoul said it was The Reconstruction effort because of the recent war. This rebuilding was much like France had been a few years ago. Their own country had been devastated and much had been destroyed. People's lives mainly had been torn apart. Many were put in prison or the catacombs beneath the opera house. They languished there until they died in most cases. 

Christine's excitement could not be contained in her usual calm manner. The melancholy she had felt on the ship had gone leaving a euphoric happiness in its absence. This was a familiar pattern for Christine. A few days of melancholy followed by a few days of complete happiness. 

Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes sparkled. The tenor of her voice held barely restrained eagerness. An eagerness for the man her heart had longed for these past three years. He was here. She could feel him. The closer the train got to the heart of the city the deeper her surety became that he was near. Possibly as early as tonight she would see him. As Raoul had said how hard could it be to find a masked man? Especially one with Erik's unique talents and voice? Her first task would be to contact the detective she had hired to keep track of him. When she learned of his whereabouts she would go to see him. Her Angel of Music. Her Erik. 

Now with Raoul's help it would be much easier. She should be overjoyed with happiness. She did not have to betray Raoul any longer. He was releasing her from their commitment. Sadness washed over her. A sense of loss for having failed Raoul as well as the feeling she was losing something she should hang onto tightly with both hands nearly had her going to Raoul begging for his forgiveness. Shaking off the threat of the depressing things her mind could think of she pushed her misgivings into a dark place in the far corner of her mind. Instead she filled her head with thoughts about her first meeting with Erik. Her first in over three years.

At the other end of the journey the train arrived at the Norfolk Railway Station. Outside the train station Raoul found another coach to deliver them to their hotel. He instructed the man to take them to The Embassy Hotel. It was a short ten minute ride to the hotel. Even Christine was in awe of the luxury. In the center of the hotel an atrium reached eight floors high. There were so many plants it looked like a well cared for garden that should grace someone's home. Benches were placed in little nooks along a bricked walkway. Decorative statues and fountains were hidden throughout the greenery. It was a wondrous sight. 

When Meg protested sharing their accommodations Raoul convinced her it would be safer for her to stay with them. He could offer his protection if she stayed with them. Their suite was elegant. All the latest modern conveniences were installed. The furnishings were breathtaking beautiful. Both Meg and Christine were like little girls running from room to room. At each new discovery they squealed like little girls. It amused Raoul quite a bit. He was pleased he could give so much pleasure at so little cost. His banker he was sure would not agree with him. The hotel was one of the best in the world and the fee for partaking of it's luxury was not small. 

Christine would learn that her task would not be quite so easy. She looked in places of culture and the arts for him. It never occurred to her to look for him in any other place. He was a musician. A composer. Should he not be in a theater? Perhaps he had found a position in a school that taught musicians and singers? 

She had decided it might be best if she met Erik for the first time when she was alone. Considering how much animosity the two men had for each other it would be best to keep them apart if she could. With Raoul and Meg constantly being present wanting to see everything it was not possible to get away on her own. If she got up early using the excuse she wanted to see the city before the heat rose Meg offered to join her. Christine could not be rude. It would be over a month before she met her Angel. The circumstances may not be what she would wish but see him she would.

The fates brought these three to this place as part of the intertwining lives of those who left France with those who lived in this vast country. Soon the fates would have these lives on a course where all their paths would cross. Four more vital players were needed to be brought into the play. They were headed back to the beginning where a young girls life began. How their lives all end is up to each player. The fates just set the scene. It is up to the players to perform and set their life course. Two sides of the triangle were in place. The third was needed to complete the equation.


	18. Chapter 17

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I do not proclaim to be a history aficionado. I have researched my facts as best I could. I have no prejudice against any race. This is only a work of fiction. I tried to give viewpoints from both angles. My little tale is not meant to offend anyone. I hope none is taken. If anyone does, I apologize ahead of time.

Warning: Violence

****

Chapter Seventeen

The Capture 1865 to 1873 Katherine(White Eagle), Lone Wolf(Matthew) Fawn, White Dove(Dove)

The year was 1865. The War Between the States had ended but a few months ago. Each side had expected a quick victory. Four long years of suffering had followed those first few weeks of confident victory over the opposing side. Indeed in the first skirmishes spectators had brought blankets and picnicked to watch the exchange between the rag tag southern soldiers and the young eager northerners. They had thought it would simply be a display of men shouting or at the worst resorting to fisticuffs. They had certainly not imagined cannon fire of the sound of rifles being fired. The red of the blood on the wounded was all too real.

None thought to take this seriously. They were of one nation. How could they battle against their own? Many families were split by the division and withdrawal of southern states from the union. Even with the hot tempers in congress all thought it would last a few days or at most a few weeks. They did not expect the hell of four years to ravage their country dividing families down the middle in cases where part of the family held their citizenship dear and those of the south loyal to the cause of their United Confederate States. Four harrowing years had raped a country of its humanity for a short time.

The land was ravaged and scarred as well as the citizenry that roamed the vast lands and settled areas. Tension was just beginning to dissipate with only minor skirmishes between former combatants. Raiders from disbanded units of the military still vandalized and attacked farms and ranches now and then. Stagecoaches were occasionally stopped and robbed. More often by outlaws than the raiders. The land was being restored for use in farming. Tobacco and cotton was still he main crops grown in the south. The homes ravaged by the blasts of cannons and the fires set by soldiers were being rebuilt. Families were reuniting. Wounds were gradually healing.

Differences now were being peacefully settled with government intervention and less hotheaded violence. The people looked to their government for answers. The surge west brought a new threat. As more people traveled west, settlers seeking more land pushed the Indian into less hospitable territories displacing thousands upon thousands into lands not yet coveted by the white man. The areas not considered habitable by the white man were perfectly fine for the savage was the consensus of the day.

The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill back in 1848 had beckoned many in search of riches. The surge west was slowed somewhat by the war but now new settlers waited eagerly to join wagon trains headed west. It was still unsafe to travel alone. Indians were being rounded up and sent to reservations. Starvation and disease began to wipe out what had been a proud and free people. Many escaped from the reservations to rejoin scattered tribe members or bands of other renegades. The settlers pushed them further west each year leaving the Indian with little choice. It was fight or die in dishonor. Many chose to fight. Those that hoped for peace to save what was left of their tribes regretted trusting the promises of the lying white eyes. Soon the railroad would reach from the east coast to the west coast. The iron horses would carry more and more settlers into the wilderness known as the Wild West. The singing wires were being stretched further and further just as the metal tracks were being laid on the ground began to stretch further out.

The army had been somewhat decreased after the Civil War making the protection of the vast territories to be covered less than safe from marauding tribes of Indians hoping to hold onto a way of life that was thousands of years old. The food source, the great buffalo of the plains and the elk were disappearing. Trappers were taking more than could be replenished of all animals for their furs. Skirmishes broke out all throughout the west in desperation to hold to what little the Indian had left. The white man killed off their food, stole their land and brought disease that claimed the life of whole tribes. So much land available and still the white man pushed the Indian out time and time again.

The bands of white men still trying to fight a war long over and lost, put a further strain on an already vastly decresed army. They raided farms and attacked supply wagons. The need for protection for settlers heading west added a further strain. Outlaw bands were flourishing. The resources of the military were stretched to breaking point. The Pinkerton men had been called in to help with the outlaws. They protected the trains and the stages. Men from Texas who would become known in later years as Texas Rangers helped in the western territories.

Into this land of hostility settlers came forging on taking more and more and pushing the true owners of the land out of their hunting grounds and the places of their ancestors burial. Into this untamed land, a woman and her daughter traveled to visit family in San Francisco.This action of two females seeking to enjoy a visit with family set in motion events that would lead to the young girl's eventual meeting with the man who left Paris years later fleeing with a broken heart and shattered dreams. The Phantom of the Opera was destined to cross paths with this young girl. Fate had written a story intertwining these two in a story of love, betrayal and forgiveness.

Daniel Montgomery was a wealthy man who lived in the great state of Virginia. He lived with his wife Amelia and his daughter Katherine. He had hoped to inherit his family's shipping and investment company from his mother as his father had died and left everything to her. In her ignorance of the place of women in this world she had left all to his daughter upon her death. His father had felt he was too frivolous to handle the family's finances and his mother thought a woman should have her own finances available as a safety precaution. Knowing her son's bad business sense she had appointed a law firm to oversee Katherine's inheritance until she reached the age of twenty-one then she was free to do as she wished. She could keep control or leave everything in the hands of her father. She left that option to her daughter. His mother in her misguided wisdom had left all to his daughter and stipulated that nothing could change hands until Katherine was twenty-one and then only if she agreed to sign over her holdings to her father could he have any control. If Katherine was unable for some reason to fulfill her responsibilities her father could then step in and take over. If Katherine died before twenty-one her inheritance was then to go to her father except for the trust in the amount of roughly fifty million dollars which would go to Mrs. Emily Graham, Katherine's nanny. If anything should happen to Katherine the trust went to Mrs.Graham to use as she saw fit. The trust fund was worth much more than the tangilbe holdings of the family.

Since she was only twelve, Daniel felt no real threat. He had complete control of all the families' finances and the business decisions needed for making progress. The lawyers trusted his judgment as long as they received their retainer they looked the other way. As luck would have it the firm his mother and wife used was owned by an old family friend. One who believed women had no head for business. Daniel took advantage of the friendship as well as the attitude of the trustees of the will.

When the time came, his daughter would sign over her holdings to him and life would continue as it had always been. For now, he was happy to wait. His wife and daughter were the lights of his life. His outlook on women did not take away his affection for the two females who held pride of place in his life. The fact that they were two of the most beautiful females in all of the state of Virginia fed his male ego. He was willing to forgive his wife for not presenting him with a son as his daughter would marry and he could gain a son in that manner.

Amelia and her daughter were taking a long awaited trip to California to visit her closest cousin she had grown up with and considered her dearest friend. Daniel was supposed to make the trip with them but at the last minute decided weeks with the women in close quarters was unappealing. The long dusty coach ride held little appeal as did the long ride without any of the comforts of home.

The two females headed out with excitement as their traveling companion. The first leg of their journey was comfortably made by train in a luxurious sleeper car and then changed to stagecoach. This mode of travel was not comfortable but necessary to get from one place to another. The railroads were moving further west all the time but as yet none went clear across the country. That was something that the red man knew they could only hold off temporarily and the white man took as a sovereign right.

The dust stirred up by the fast spinning wheels was cloying and coated them and the coach each day. The only relief was the stops along the way. In consideration of the women, the drivers made frequent stops. Many were unscheduled stops to allow the passengers to stretch their legs as well as rest the horses between way stations. They stopped at these stations to change horses, eat drink and freshen up. Beds were provided at each stop at the end of the day. No privacy was afforded as everyone shared a common room for sleeping. Overnight stops were not the same level of luxury they were used to at home but they made it into an adventure. They were pioneers forging ever westward to settle that wild territory.

**All went well until they hit the Arizona Territory. The heat and dust were cloying inside the enclosed coach. Everyone was drymouthed and sweating. The sun beating down on the top of the coach making the inside seem like an oven. The dust seeming to coat the inside of their mouths and trickling down their throats made swallowing difficult. All the passengers hand handkerchiefs over their noses and mouths. The drivers on top of the coach wore kerchiefs tied around the bottom of their faces leaving only their eyes uncovered. The last stop had been two hours ago to give water to the horses and any necessary trips to the bushes needed by the passengers. All the passengers were ready to ask for an unofficial stop to stretch their legs and relieve themselves. The water from the canteens provided had been drank shortly after leaving the way station to trade for fresh horses. They weren't concerned with running out of water as a big barrel of fresh water had been stored on the back of the coach. Taking a deep breath was hard as the dust thickened the air in a thick dust bowl allowing little oxygen to find burning lungs. **

Katherine had not minded the hardship of sitting in a confined space for hours but this was so unpleasant. All she wanted was to get out and stay out in the open air. She would rather ride on top of the stage. At least then she could see the passing landscape or an occasional prairie dog. Something besides the other silent dust covered passengers. If she wasn't a young lady of twelve she would throw one of her tantrums like she used to when she was a child when she wanted to get her way. She was a young woman now. Behavior like that was beneath her. Mrs. Graham, or Gamm as Katherine called her, had threatened she would tan her backside if she threw one more fit and take away her grown-up dresses. She had been their housekeeper and Katherine's nanny since Katherine was just a baby.

She wasn't old enough yet for a corset but she did have a small bustle in the back that almost gave her a bit of a curve back there. Her best friend Emily Ann, she preferred to be called just Emily as Emily Ann sounded much too staid and dull. Emily had even bought one of her maids corsets. She said it was as uncomfortable as hell. Katherine had been shocked to see her corset then shocked again when she cursed. Katherine had bemoaned the fact that she was as flat as a washer. Boys liked lumps on the chest of girls so she had heard. Emily advised her not to worry. She had reminded her what had happened to Caroline last year. Her bosoms had grown to unbelievable proportions. Emily assured her she would soon have bosoms. Emily, had developed over the summer and suddenly boys were noticing her. She consoled Katherine with the knowledge that bosoms got in the way when wrestling with the boys.

Katherine and Emily were two very respected tomboys. At least until they had begun to show signs of becoming young women. Katherine not so much. She dressed the part but her body seemed to be taking its time catching up.

Sighing Katherine again turned to look out a window that for the summer months had the glass removed. Only thick curtains covered the windows. Katherine's mother, Amelia, had drawn one back so Katherine could look out hopefully seeing something other than dust.

Two of the passengers were men peddling their wares for their companies in the east. The other woman passenger was a school teacher leaving the safety of her home in Vermont to head west to a teaching post in California and to meet the man she had been corresponding with for three years. A bold move for a young woman barely twenty-two years old.

They had just made the decision to plead for a stop when the two men on top on the coach let out loud curses and gun shots were fired. Loud war hoops were heard and an arrow shot in through the window hitting the young school teacher squarely in the heart. The young woman was dead instantly. Her eyes open and staring blankly ahead. The light dimmed permanently in death. A dark red trickle of blood slowly edging it's way down from the corner of her mouth to her chin.

Amelia and Katherine screamed in horror and fear. They had been teased before leaving that they could be dragged off in the wild west by wild savages. Not having heard of any recent attacks and never having seen any such person who had been taken Amelia had thought it was only to scare her and force a reaction from her. The two men opposite them both wore the same frightened expressions and the acceptance of death was in their eyes. They closed their eyes and began the prayers to ease their souls into heaven. They were city dwellers and had never even fired their weapons. The younger man had only just purchased his when he found he was being sent west. He wore his gun at his hip in a show of bravado not for actual use. He had never even fired a weapon before.

Amelia couldn't let them harm or God forbid, take her daughter. The stories of women taken had been around for years. If they were lucky they were killed instantly or if taken a young brave showed favor on them if not they were as the dogs of the camp. Only good for packing supplies on their backs when moving camp and serving the camp as a slave. This would not happen to Katherine if she had to defend her on her own. If need be she would take her own life and her daughter's life before she let one of them lay one hand on her childPlease do something. Fire back at them. We can't let them stop the coach. Please for the love of God. My daughter. You know what they do to white women. Please."

"Ma'am best to save what ammunition we have for when the coach is stopped. They'll kill the horses and the drivers if we don't stop. Best to reconcile yourself and make piece with your maker. Beg him for strength to do what you know you must." He nodded his head toward Katherine. A look of acceptance had taken over his face. Knowing the inevitable end was near he needed to spend the next few minutes making his own piece with God and the wife he loved so much. His child would grow up not knowing his father. The younger man had already bowed his head and his lips moved in silent prayer.

Amelia would fight to the death for her child. She would not calmly wait for them to come and take her child or kill her right before her eyes. Taking a gun from the hip of the youngest man she leaned out the window and began firing at the men on the horses behind and to the side of the coach. She took the few bullets he had stuck in his holster. The older gentleman had packed his weapons in his trunk. They were now uselessly on top of the stagecoach packed away in his case amongst his clothing.

The horses were tiring and couldn't keep up this pace much longer. Amelia only had two bullets left and knew the outcome of the next few minutes. She had seen the driver on the right side of the coach fall to the ground and being surrounded by the savages. She had closed her eyes when the knife had been put to the top of the man's head knowing what was going to take place.

Amelia slumped in her seat. She pulled Katherine to her and told her she loved her and would see her in heaven. She asked for her forgiveness and that of God. Her hand gripped the handle of the pistol. Her hand began to shake. She wrapped her second hand around the handle to steady it. Having regained her resolve Amelia raised the pistol to her daughter's temple.

Katherine knew what was coming. Her mother would not let her be taken. She closed her eyes and told her mother through her tears that she forgave her and loved her. She waited for the small piece of metal to pierce her skull wondering if she would feel pain or if mercy would be granted and she would fall into death quietly after the first explosion of sound. Her mother's body warmed her. Despite the grueling temperature Katherine felt cold. She couldn't manage to keep her body from shaking. She wanted so badly to be home in her room playing with her new doll house and telling her best friend Emily she was sorry for taking her last piece of candy without permission then blaming it on one of the maids. She forgot to brush her pony's mane last week and told her mother she had. Ginger would forgive her but she wished she had done it instead of lying.

Katherine's body jerked in surprise to hear loud grunts and then felt the heavy weight against her lap. She opened her eyes to find the man across from her pierced with an arrow and lying dead against her. The other man lay half in the floor and half on her mother. Her mother shoved the man to the floor and raised the gun to Katherine's temple. A look of sorrow and regret painted on her features. All her dreams and plans for her daughter's future gone in a flash. Taken away in seconds by the cruel hand of men who didn't even know their name.

**__**

What quarrel do they have with us that they attack and kill without compunction? This should not be happening. We were only going for a visit. We were going to renew our family ties. My daughter is an innocent. Amelia could admit to having sinned in her life but nothing deserving of this and Katherine had done nothing to blacken her soul. She was pure of heart and gracious in giving to those who had less. It should not end this way. Her daughter should have a chance for life.

"Close your eyes baby. It will be over in a moment. A fleeting sting then nothing. Please close your eyes. Do not look at me. I will not have the strength to do what I must if you look at me. I gave you life now I must be the one to take that life back. Think of all the loved ones you'll see again. Say a prayer for your father and send your love to him. Good-bye my sweet child. I shall hold you until I draw my last breath. I will not leave you alone." Amelia prayed God would give her the strength to carry out what must be done. She would not have her child suffer at the hands of these savages.

Amelia hugged her daughter close. She placed a kiss on her temple. Her lips touched the spot she had to send the bullet to ensure Katherine did not suffer. If she felt an instant of pain Amelia knew she would not forgive herself even after she entered into her eternal journey.

_****_

Please God do not let my daughter suffer. Make my shot true and instant. Let my daughter suffer not one moment of pain. Take her soul to heaven and mine soon after. Forgive those who sin against us as we ourselves hold sin in our hearts. I forgive those who do this dreadful thing without even knowing who they kill. Lead us safely into heaven. Give my husband the strength to carry on. I know I meet you with acceptance of your gift of life for my sins. Please hear my humble prayer. Amen.

Katherine took her mother's left hand and closed her eyes tightly waiting to hear the last sound to grace her ears this side of heaven. Silently her lips moved in prayer. Each breath taken she anticipated would be her last. The sound she heard close to her ear tore the breath from her lungs and a scream from her throat as she opened her eyes to see her mother dead beside her an arrow sticking from her chest and blood dripping from her mouth.

"No! No! You can't leave me Mother. You can't leave me. Don't leave me alone. Mother I'm frightened." Sobs choked her throat. Tears made muddy tracks down her dust covered face. Katherine put her head down on her mothers chest.

"Mommy please," she begged. She couldn't do this alone. She had never been alone before.

A shallow breath gave proof of life. Katherine raised her head hopefully. Her mother was not dead but did not have enough life to make a difference in the outcome of the next few minutes. Amelia raised her hand shakily then pressed the gun into her young daughter's hand. Amelia did not have the strength to help her daughter. This horrendous task would fall on her innocent daughter's shoulder. Her gaze told Katherine the remaining two shots could be for her or two of the savage men who would come for her.

With the last bit of strength Amelia forced her blood stained hand to her daughter's face. Her feather light fingertips grazed Katherine's tear streaked cheek. Lovingly she traced her daughter's face for the last time. She wanted to take the memory of her daughter's precious face with her on her journey to heaven's gate. Tears of regret more than pain fell from Amelia's eyes. She pushed her regrets aside knowing they would be reunited in heaven. As a sharp pain shot through her she closed her eyes.

"No! You can't leave me. I can make you better. I know I can." Frantically Katherine put her hands to her mother's chest. **_Stop the blood flow. Yes, stop the blood and she'd be fine. Water. I should get her some water. _Thoughts raced in her mind. **

**__**

Yes, if I stop the blood she'll be alright. You will be fine Mother. Daddy will be so happy to see us. I promise I'll clean my room. For real. Not just push everything under the bed. I won't stay up past my bedtime. I will be the little lady you want instead of running around wild with Hayden and his friend's after school. I promise just don't die and leave me here alone.

The utter stillness of her mother at last forced her to accept what her mother had known all along. She was dying. She was moments away from her last breath. Seeing her mother's lips moving she leaned closer to catch each precious word.

Amelia reached up and brushed her fingertips over Katherine's cheek. Her fingers gathered the wet tears as they fell down the innocent cheeks of her daughter. If the end of her life would save her daughter's she would gladly face anyone seeking her death. Amelia would die a thousand horrific deaths to save her daughter. All she could give Katherine now was the hope of a swift and merciful passing.

"Be brave my sweet daughter. Know that I have loved you from the moment I knew you were growing in my womb. Not one day have I regretted having you in my life. Each hour, each second having you with me made each day more precious than any riches I could have. I have always been proud of you. You know what you must do Katherine. Gather your courage and do what must be done. It grieves me to leave you with this last task but my strength is gone and even now the darkness is covering my eyes. Oh please my darling daughter do not cry. I will see you heaven my sweet angel."

With those last words trembling on her lips the last light of life dimmed and extinguished in the eyes of her mother. A lone tear traveled from the corner of her mother's eye to the bottom of her chin where it dripped down and mingled with the blood on her dress.

Katherine held her mother's limp hand. Soon the warmth would leave that hand held so dearly by the young girl. Her grief almost left her powerless to move or cry. The life's blood of her mother stained her dress. The red crimson liquid dripped from her hands as she had tried to stem the flow of the life giving blood gushing from her mother's body.

In desperation she tried to remove the evidence of her mother's suffering from her hands. Sobbing with loud gasping breaths she desperately wiped her hands down the front of her dress. The red stains would forever be imprinted in her memory. The only thing left to her was to carry out her mother's wish. She had to find the strength to end her own life. Her heart raced in fear of what was to come and dread of the outcome if she failed in her task.

Katherine didn't think she could take the life of another and didn't want to face her God with the death of others on her soul. Taking her own life was also a sin and seemed the greater evil so she waited her decision still not clear. The coach began to slow. It came to a stop and an eerie silence surrounded Katherine. The man still holding the reins had two arrows in his chest and fell to the ground dead. The short silence was broken by cries of victory from the men on the horses.

The coach rocked with the weight of men climbing on top. She heard the thud of trunks hitting the ground. She hurriedly looked out the window to see two Indian men prying open the trunks. The lids fell open and rifles were taken from inside. Small boxes of what Katherine thought must be ammunition were removed with the rifles. They had been after the guns.

A sick realization entered Katherine's grief stricken mind. They had died for pieces of metal and bits of brass and gun powder. That's all her mother's life had been worth in the end? Weapons? Guns that would kill more innocents? The people on the top of the coach had been obstacles to be removed. The others had been innocent victims. Many such victims could be claimed on both sides in the war between the Indian and the white man. At that moment Katherine had no thought of what was fair or right. Her heart beat with vengeance alone.

The two men raised the rifles in the air and gave great shouts and shook the weapons over their heads. Her decision was made with certainty with the knowledge of how little value had been placed on her mother's life and the lives of the other passengers. She would forfeit a merciful end to take vengeance in her mother's name.

Katherine could hear many shouts and see figures on horses riding in celebration around the coach. Many wore buckskins on their legs and leather tunics on their torsos. Feathers were stuck in their hair and beads hung on their necks. She saw tufts of hair on many lances and bow quivers. Leather moccasins covered their feet. The horses they rode had no saddles. Streaks of color was painted across the men's faces. Even the horses were painted with symbols.

The dust swirled around clogging her throat. Her eyes watered as particles entered her eyes. In other circumstances she could have appreciated the wild untamed beauty of the warriors and their war painted horses. The symbols painted on the bodies of the men and the animals beneath them strange but telling a story known only to the rider of each animal.

At this moment all she felt was hate and a grief so crippling it hurt to take each breath. The remainder of her mother's blood on her hands spurring her hate further. Her trembling hands held the gun aimed at the door waiting to pull the trigger and seek a little retribution for her mother.

The smell of blood made her nauseous. The coppery taste of blood was on her tongue from hitting her face on the door and splitting her lip. She swallowed the bile back down her throat as her stomach churned. The smell of blood was a smell she never wanted to breath again but unfortunately for her in the years to come it was a smell she would become intimately acquainted with many times.

With a suddenness that gave her no chance to change her mind on her decision the door was torn open and a dark skinned man was in the door reaching for the only live person inside. Not giving herself a moment to think Katherine raised the gun and the look of surprise to see the gun in her hand was followed by the shock of the pain as the bullet tore through the man's neck taking his life. He had barely fallen to the ground when the door behind her was pulled open and another man stepped into the opening of door behind her. She turned and shot hitting the man in the chest. As she fired the shot another man entering in the opening by her mother reached inside the coach and she felt strong arms shoot around her from behind from the opposite side. The strong arms locked around her tightly and began to pull her roughly out of the coach.

Katherine kicked and screamed. Her nails scratched skin wherever contact was made. Her tiny feet found vulnerable knees and lower legs of her captor. His arms were like a vice holding her firmly around her waist. She could hear the harsh breathing and feel the warm rush of his breath on her face. Her fear choked the next scream off in her throat frozen halfway between her lungs and her mouth. She held her breath in fear. Each intake of air could be her last. She had not lived long enough to have many sins to repent but as she felt this might be her last moments she listed them mentally and prayed for God's forgiveness and mercy.

The sight of her brought an eerie silence to the men gathered around. The man holding her pulled a handful of hair and showed it to the others and spoke words she couldn't understand. The man who looked as if he were the leader of the group threw his leg over the side of his horse and slid to the ground. He walked with pride and confidence. His stature alone would give pause to any enemy in battle. The fierceness in his eyes would make a brave man shake in trepidation. Katherine looked him straight in the eye. Not once did she look away. He approached her standing tall and proud. She drew herself up as tall as she could with her shoulders thrown back with pride. He had a headdress with many feathers on it. He was so tall she had to look up at him. His features were pleasant except for the hatred spilling out of his eyes and onto each of his facial features. His black hair was long and braided with leather ties at the end to hold the hair in place. He had many scars on his body. Muscles had been hardened by many years of hard physical work and battling for his way of life. The look of pure hatred in his eyes shook her but it was no greater than the hatred burning in her own. Not one person in her young life had ever showed her any kind of animosity or disfavor. This man hated her not even knowing her. In her young mind her hate was justified his was not.

He was within a foot of her when he reached out and ran his hand down her silky blond hair. He let the strands run through his fingers. He said something to the others and a look of fear mixed with wonder crossed their faces. To them this pure light gracing her made her almost a holy visage. Some interpreted the stories passed down from father to son through hundreds of years of telling as a good omen others believed an evil spirit trying to pass as good tricked the unwary warrior. The person of light hair had been blessed by the spirits of their ancestors or sent by the trickster to take the brave men to the spirit world.

Raging Bear believed light hair meant bravery as the yellow hair Custer had fought vigilently, relentlessly hounding his people. Some day he would end this white mans life if ever he was to cross paths with him. For now he kept his people on the move covering their tracks so the traitorous Indian scouts couldn't track them. The yellow haired Custer, was either brave or stupid to chase after a foe you can not see. His tribe was one of many the yellow hair Custer had pledged to run to ground and imprison or send them to the land of their ancestors. Raging Bear would see his ancestors before he saw the inside of the white eyes prison or reservation. He was free now and he would die free.

In an unguarded moment Katherine was able to free her hand and grabbed the man's arm in front of her as it passed near her face. She sank her teeth into his skin as hard as she could.

Raging Bear drew his arm back to strike the girl. A whisper in his ear told him that this child would be important to him in the future. The whisper asked for mercy. Raging Bear dropped his hand. He looked deep into her soul through her eyes. Behind the hate and sorrow he saw much more. He decided to listen to the whisper.

Stepping away from the girl he ordered Lone Wolf to put her on his horse and take her back to camp. He would stay behind with the others and gather their dead so they could be honored and mourned by the tribe.

Lone Wolf didn't like traveling with the young yellow hair. He was not superstitious as he had been educated by his white mother until he left home after yet another battle to defend himself against the white eyes in the town nearby. His place was with his people, his brothers of his tribe not those hut dwellers his mother chose as her people. He was a warrior not an old woman. His place was on the battle field by the side of his chief Raging Bear.

"I hate you. Some day I'll kill you. All of you just like you killed my mother. I'll cut your hearts out and feed them to the wolves. I'll tear your eyes out and feed them to the birds. I'll cut out your tongue and spit on it. Let me go. Let me go now!" Katherine kicked and screamed. She thrashed her body and bit any piece of flesh she could attach her teeth to. Her teeth clamped down on his forearm sinking into his flesh. He shoved her to the ground calling her a name his white mother would have slapped his cheeks for letting it pass his lips. The little wildcat got up and tried to run. She only made it a few feet but those few feet were a disgrace to a warrior who had many kills to his credit.

Angrily Lone Wolf followed her and grabbed a fistful of her hair. He jerked her back and shoved her to the ground. He placed his moccasin clad foot on her back holding her to the ground. Not one tear fell from her face though. All that was in her eyes was hate and a sorrow she would not express in front of these savages.

"What does this yellow hair say Lone Wolf?"

Both Lone Wolf and Katherine were panting from their recent struggle. Lone Wolf saw the grins of his fellow warriors. He had almost been defeated by a skinny child. Granted she was like a wild cougar defending it's territory but still a child. A female child at that.

Her words could bring retribution from some of the others who had lost family members in recent battles. He wanted to lie but he wouldn't dishonor his chief with falsehoods. He told Raging Bear just what she said. The men laughed. This small child was brave enough to threaten their chief? They could understand her anger but the threat they dismissed. A sudden gust of wind blew past them. As they looked at Katherine the men who would bravely die in battle moved back away form the sight of her glinting in the bright sunlight. Her hair seemed as if each strand had a life of its own.

Whispers began to stir among the men waiting for their chief to speak. The child had light hair. The sun glinting in the light strands seeming to glow with light. The gentle breeze blowing the silky gossamer strands like the wings of some spirit. The light blue of her eyes rivaled the clear sky. Pale unmarred skin shown eerily like a long dead spirit returned from the spirit world. Her presence unnerved many and fascinated others. The light hair and light colored eyes an unusual sight. With the wind fanning her hair she looked like some unearthly spirit. The sun forming a halo around her added to the effect. She seemed to glow with an unearthly light.

Raging Bear had a dream vision for the past two nights. He dreamt of his death at the hands of a spirit he could not see. A spirit from beyond had shown him what was to come. All he saw was a halo of light around the head that was so bright it blinded him. This spirit from the land of his ancestors had shown him he would die from some wound to his heart. He had seen his life draining away. The dream could have another meaning. All dreams were not shown as true happenings. Some were meant as warnings and some were no more than one's own desires. Just as he had seen the iron horse that swept across his tribe's homeland in a dream vision he also saw what he thought was his death. This little yellow hair he would keep close to see what path she walked. Some things the spirits allowed us to change and some things were as time and the rise and fall of the sun. It came no matter what you did the pattern remained the same. Now he heard the spirits of the wind plead her cause.

A few words spoken in low tones from Raging Bear and Lone Wolf grabbed her arm.

"Come yellow hair. This is no place for you." Lone Wolf did not know what had made Raging Bear show such mercy but he was glad for the sake of the child. Lone Wolf gently but firmly pulled on her upper arm. His war was not with children.

"You speak English! Help me get away from here. Please. My father will reward you for returning me. He can even make sure you are safe and can go somewhere no one will find you."

"I have no need for what the white man uses to pay for goods. I would not betray my people that way as I would never be able to go far enough or get lost enough to outrun my betrayal. Besides it is not for me to decide your fate. Raging Bear will make that choice when we have mourned our losses."

He lifted her to the front shoulder of his pony and jumped up behind her. He felt no need to tie her hands. Something he regretted later when she tried to run when they stopped to drink from the fresh water rushing over the rocks. He had just brought his mount forward to drink when she shoved him from behind and started to run. She didn't get far but it was enough to convince him he couldn't take her weakness for granted. He bound her hands tightly. His reward was a kick in his manhood from a dainty foot. After that he made sure to keep his guard up and protect himself. He had plans of having a son one day and did not relish telling his future wife he had been unmanned by a mere girl. This looked to be a long unpleasant journey. One Lone Wolf would rather not make. The child had just lost her mother. Had witnessed the death of others as well. She was now with strangers. Most of those around her would rather see her dead than have her in the camp. Looking at the hate in her young eyes he wondered how treacherous this day would be. He hoped the wind spirits lifted the hoofs of his pony making this a quick journey home.

The fight seemed to have left the young one after he tied her hands and put her back on Wind Runner's back. The rest of the trip was made in silence and the sun was setting behind the mountains when he brought the prisoner into camp. He had quickly been surrounded by the older members of the tribe who had been left behind. The women and children joining the circle around him. He told of the day's battle and her part in it. The women surrounded her and began to spit and beat her. They shoved her from one woman to another. The words they spoke to her she didn't understand but the hatred behind them she knew well from the men earlier.

She stood tall and proud. They knocked her down she crawled back to her feet looking neither left nor right. She would not dishonor her mother by letting these people see her cry or beg. She would show them Katherine Montgomery could stand alone against them and gain a victory over them by offering her silent acceptance of the treatment she received.

Lone Wolf grew tired of these women. The yellow hair was but a child. He had no love for the white eyes but he had never taken his war with the masses invading his homeland to the door of a child. Many white eyes would disagree with him when it came to the children of his tribe. Many had been slaughtered in raids on their camp. The camps occupants were slaughtered indiscriminately. His people could no longer stay in one place for long. Now they roamed the land with no permanent place to call home. True all was at one time his people's home but now the ground beneath their feet each night was home. The location changed sometimes as night turns to day. The children lay down to sleep in one place only to wake in another. This was the way of survival when the enemy was hunting with only the idea in their mind to wipe your people from Mother Earth. His Apache brothers would soon be but a memory carried on the whisper of the wind. Lone Wolf knew the time of his people was growing short. The great buffalo herds were becoming only faint memories with each winter's passing. Soon that great beast would be no more. His people would follow them into the mist of memory.

"Leave now. This yellow hair is mine. I say when to punish. No hand shall sting her cheek unless I wish it to be. Go do women's work. Your chief will return tonight with our dead. Make the preparations for the ceremony to honor them."

"Thank you for whatever you said to them that made them stop. I still hate you all but thank you."

"Make no mistake yellow hair I only did what was needed to be done. Another time I may let them take their hatred for the white eyes out on you. I need no thanks from you. Make no mistake you are a prisoner. To do with as we wish. You are like the horse that carries us or the dogs we use for work to carry our packs or sleds. You are as a beast. No more no less."

Katherine spit on the ground at his feet. "I am not an animal. I am not your property. Some day I will kill you and return to my home. I will make you sorry for killing my mother. You are nothing but savages. Animals are regarded higher than you."

Lone Wolf did not want to harm this child but he could not allow this disrespect to continue. He raised his hand and hit her with the back of his hand. She went flying and landed roughly on her side with a trickle of blood at the side of her mouth. He had tried to hold back the full force of the strike but he still hit her harder than he wanted to. Twenty-one winters since his birth and he had never laid a hand on a female in anger. Now he was at war with this female child.

The mention of her mother more than the pain in her cheek brought tears that hovered on her lashes. She angrily wiped them away and drew herself up as straight and tall as she could. She would not let them see her grief or her sorrow. She would not break down in front of them. She stared straight ahead and thought of home and days she spent with her mother and father. She wasn't here in this horrible place at all. This was only a dream. A nightmare from which she would wake and her mother would comfort her.

Lone Wolf admired her pride but knew if she continued to show this pride things would be hard for her. He heard the horses entering the camp and drug her to the opening of a teepee. Lone Wolf untied her hands debating the wisdom of his actions as he saw her furtive glances around the encampment. He threw her into the opening and she landed in a pile of animal hides.

Some of the war party had returned with a few of the fallen braves. Knowing the evening would be long Lone Wolf went to the steam a short distance from the camp to get a drink and wash away the bit of the trail that clung to him.

Having no one to see she could give into the pain she felt and rubbed her bruises and red marks from the leather straps that had been tied around her wrists. With her hands untied she had a better chance of escape. Quietly she tip toed to the opening and looked around. Everyone was concerned with the dead. Now was her chance. Not giving another minute to think of her actions Katherine went to the back of the teepee and lifted up the bottom. Lowering herself to her stomach she crawled under until she was completely out then took off running as fast as her legs would carry her to the trees not far away.

She heard shouts coming from all directions. She hoped it wasn't anyone noticing her escape. Luck was not on her side. A strong arm grabbed her from behind and tackled her to the ground. The heavy body landing on her back drove the air from her lungs. The pressure on her back would not allow her to inhale a breath. Just when she was seeing a blackness in front of her eyes the weight left her. Two tightly gripping hands jerked her to her feet. She was then dragged into the center of the gathered people and thrown to the ground.

Words she didn't understand were coming from so many directions. After what seemed and eternity to Katherine but was only a little less than a minute a man grabbed her and dragged her over to a pole. Her hands were tied around her wrists then the straps were hung on a peg on the pole. Katherine's hands were high above her head. The tips of her toes barely reached the ground. When she felt hands gripping the material of her dress her panic took over. Pictures of the men having their hair removed earlier that day danced horribly into her mind. The fabric was torn down to her waist. Not knowing what was to occur she was taken by surprise at the first sting of the leather lash across her back. The instant pain would have driven her to her knees if the straps hadn't held her up. Four more lashes ripped her tender skin. As the fifth lash struck her, she blessedly lost conscientiousness.

Lone Wolf was angered by the whipping Grey Eagle had given the little yellow hair. He had only gone for a moment to get a cold drink from the stream and splash water on his body to wash away the dust of the trail. He had returned to find the girl tied to a pole. Grey Eagle had been whipping his prisoner across her back.

Angrily Lone Wolf strode forward and took the whip from the angry man facing him. Grey Eagle had lost two sons in a raid on their camp last winter. His hatred burned so fiercely in him it was all he had left to keep him from becoming a spirit. His hate fed his body giving him the strength and will to gone on and fight the next battle. His hatred bound him to this earth until every last white man was driven from their lands or he took his last breath. If his time ended before he could see this he would make sure he took as many white men as he could. For every brave that fell he would make sure two white men fell.

Word's were exchanged. Not one word reached the ear of the unconscious girl. The only movement was caused by the wind ruffling her hair and the torn fabric of her dress. Red rivulets slowly ran down her back one drop at a time from the many lacerations on her back until the dark red coated her torn dress and slithered like a snake down her skin. A merciful God deemed she should stay in this unknowing state for the few hours as she drifted on the edge of concsiouness.

With one last warning Lone Wolf turned away to untie the girl. He would take her back to the teepee and find his sister Fawn. Fawn would care for the wounds on his prisoner's back. He would try not to think of her as a female child ever again. To do so made him careless. He felt guilt because she had been hurt. He had been careless leaving her untied. Thinking of her only as a prisoner would be better for both of them.

His attention was drawn from the girl when he heard more men and horses returning. Tonight would be a night of great sorrow for his people. To many days and nights had been spent in mourning the many dead over the last few years. Soon there would be no one left to mourn the passing of a great nation. The Apache nation grew smaller with each passing winter.

Not liking to leave the yellow hair unattended and bleeding for a short breath of time he hesitated. Retying her hands he looked at the child hanging by her tied wrists from the pole. Sighing heavily he walked away to join the others. Later he would take care of the girl. The heaviness of his heart gave witness to his mixed emotions. He had lived as an Apache warrior for many years but he still remembered his mother. He missed her. Her blood was his blood. Some day he hoped to see her again. This battle between Lone Wolf's two worlds had always raged within him.

Raging Bear had returned and wails of sorrow had torn through the camp for the loss of so many of their warriors.The eerie wails sounding ghostly in the dark. The mournful cries were laced with pain and suffering. That night as the camp grieved for their dead Katherine had remained tightly tied to a thick pole with the end buried deep in the ground. Her wounds were dried and caked with blackened blood. The rope was tied tight and she couldn't sit. Her legs were shaking from the hours of standing with her toes touching the ground along with her suspended arms held her upright. Each time her legs gave out she forced them to straighten and hold her weight.

All night she drifted in and out on consciousness. Her dreams at first pleasant then quickly turned to nightmares. Hot fires were burning all around. Faceless men surrounded her. They seemed to be ghostly apparitions. Slipping in and out of the light of the flickering flames. A fever burned hotly in Katherine. Hot fingers of fire burned at her back and spread throughout her young body. Her youth and good health played a part in mercifully granting her life that night. It had been uncertain if she would live to see the light of the next rising sun. Miraculously she rallied and survived to the amazement of everyone. Suspicions grew. They thought she was an evil spirit masked as a young girl. Many grown men could not survive half of what she went through and live. She was sent from the spirit world to trick them. Perhaps the trickster himself had sent her.

Katherine's back burned and the pain drove all other thoughts from her head. After hours of pain a blessed numbness settled over her. The kindness of peaceful oblivion drew a dark curtain over her and shrouded her in blissful blackness. For a time her pain was driven out by darkness only to return when light returned dragging her senses back to reality. A reality so painful it was hard to contemplate. She gave up struggling to stay conscious. The balackness meant relief from pain.

That night was the first of many in eight long years of being treated as less than the worth of a dog in the camp. They told her that her name was to be Yellow Hair. She never heard her Christian name once in all those years. She would repeat her own name to herself over and over so she wouldn't forget who she was. She made herself remember where she came from and that her mother died at the hands of her captors.

Sometimes it was so tempting to give in and let them have their little victory of breaking her spirit. No sooner would the thought take flight in her mind and she would steadfastly push it away. She would not dishonor her mother with cowardly behavior.

Her defiance earned her many punishments. She endured them all with pride stiffening her spine and her resolve. This attitude earned the respect of many of her captors and the ire of others. Her enemies took their hatred out on her. The others could only stand by and watch giving her kindness hidden from the watching eagle eyes of those who wanted her death.

Lone Wolf had come to respect this woman child. She had the spirit of a warrior. Not once since the early days of captivity had she shed a tear. At least not one that any of her tormentors could see. At night he would stand outside his teepee and hear her near silent tears. Many of his tribe had a grudging respect for the little sad woman child.

Katherine refused to bend to their will. She fought when the women tried to remove her clothes and give her some of their own clothing. She was determined that even if she had to wear this until it was nothing but rags she would not be rescued wearing a garment made by her mother's murderers.

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A/N: A huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed as well as those who are reading. I hope you will like the direction this tale is going to take for a while. We'll have Erik back after a few chapters. The others will be reappearing as well.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Hand of Strength, Hand of Comfort **

As she refused to let go of her life holding on tightly to all she knew a lonely man living in solotude a world away was in the process of trying to obtain a little dignity while gaining love and trust. He would risk all in a madness that possessed his mind and heart blinding him to all but the object of his desire. Katherine struggled to hold on to her memories while he fought to forget all his past memories of pain and lonliness, making new ones through love.

The first months had almost taken Katherine's life. In the beginning she was only allowed to eat what scraps were left over when everyone else lay full and sleep overtook them. She was forced to fight the camp dogs for food. If she was going to survive she had to find a way to get food. She had to sleep out in the open. Many nights she huddled against the warm fur of the camp dogs. They smelled horrible which in turn made her smell awful but they did give her much needed warmth.

This yellow haired girl was like no other Lone Wolf had ever encountered. Brave, smart, stubborn, with an incredible will to survive. Shortly after her first few months Lone Wolf asked Raging Bear if he could give Yellow Hair aid. He had been granted his request. Raging Bear cautioned him with words of warning, "I too have seen the little Yellow Hair struggle with no thoughts of giving in. If she does not find a way to live among us it will be hard for her."

Lone Wolf sighed heavily in frustration, "If she were male she would already be learning the ways of the warrior. Let me teach her what she needs to survive."

"Lone Wolf the spirit in this one is strong. She survives all we do then stands and looks us in the eye. If she were of our people she would give us many warriors. She may yet catch the eye of a young brave. Many are still frightened of her. Teach her what you will. Do not let her forget her place. She is still a prisoner. The women would not treat her well if they thought she was getting special treatment, " Raging Bear warned.

"I will keep her under control." Lone Wolf had the confidence of a longtime warrior backing his words.

Raging Bear laughed in disbelief, "More likely she will spit in your eye then slit your throat if you drop your guard."

Lone Wolf did not doubt she would kill him if she got the chance. She showed her hatred and strength in her stiff posture and rebellious attitude. The fire in her eyes would burn them all if she could release it from her eyes. She may not want to harm him but if being free was the result she may have the courage to take his life. She had spit, kicked hissed and scratched at every opportunity. He was not the only one bearing fresh wounds from that shecat Yellow Hair.

Katherine had watched Lone Wolf make a bow and arrow. She tried many times to fashion one like his only to fail time and time again. Her attempts always ended with her throwing the whole mess away angrily. It looked so simple. How hard could it be to stretch horse hair across a bowed stick? Shouldn't any old straight stick work as an arrow.

Watching her many failed attempts Lone Wolf gave into the feelings he had for this girl. He felt responsible for her. He came to think of her as he did his sister Fawn. Fawn was really only his half sister as they had different mothers. Fawn's mother had been killed in a raid when she was just a baby. Their father had been killed in battle six years ago.

Having gained Raging Bears permission Lone Wolf approached Yellow Hair with his offer to teach her the ways of survival. Contrary to what he thought she did not immediately accept his offer. She was more cautious than a doe during rutting season.

Lone Wolf offered again a few weeks later. Katherine's wariness began to fade a little with the possibility of learning how to hunt for food. Soon she became facinated as he showed her how to choose the finest materials to make the strongest bows and straighest arrows. What she had thought was horse hair was actually the tendons from animals. Usually the buffalo. Not only was this sinewy material used to attache to both ends of the bow but it was also wrapped around the wood to add strength and stability.

Any hard substance could be used as an arrow. He chose several different types to show her how to sharpen each object. He used bones, rock, as well as some hardwoods such as hickory. The wood was not used as much as the other two. Rock and bone were easier to obtain. Lone Wolf showed her how to choose just the right pieces of wood to make the shaft of the bow.

Watching him stretch the sinew across the bow she asked, "Why do you still use the bow and arrow? I have seen tomahawks used as well. Why do you not just use guns? You have plenty. That was the reason you were after the stagecoach."

Lone Wolf hoped she would not be angered when he told her why they wanted the guns. "Yellow Hair guns need ammunition. Where would we have to go to get such a thing? Sure traders sell us some once in a while. We are on the move so much it is not always easy to get ammunition. Arrows are easy to make. They are light to carry into battle. Guns are harder to handle during a battle."

"Your white army has the Henry rifle which can shoot sixteen rounds. They also use the single shot rifle. This is the one they prefer. The cost of bullets is high. If you only have one shot you are more likely to make sure it finds its target. If you have sixteen you may shoot randomly hoping to hit a target. Both are effective if used correctly. I have even heard of a gun that can shoot as many as 300 rounds rapidly. I believe it is called a Gatling gun. It is not widely used, at least not west of the Mississippi yet. Time will change that. When that happens our people will be erased as we had never been."

"We need the guns when a bow is not able to be used. Bows and arrows come from the spirit world. We have used this weapon for thousands of years. An Apache with a bow with a quiver full of arrows is a formidable foe. Our arrows are blessed by the spirits. Guns are the whiteman's weapon. The white army with a gun is equal to our arrows, until they run out of bullets. Besides..." Lone Wolf hesitated to continue as he remembered she was only thirteen and was only twelve when she saw an arrow kill the other passeners along with her mother.

"Besides what?" Katherine was silent as she thought over his words. She narrowed her eyes at him. There was something he did not want her to know. That only made her more curious to know what he was hiding. He had not told her why they were after the guns. "Why were you after the guns if you mostly use bows and arrows?"

When he continued to skin his rabbit in silence she asked again, "What? I am not a baby. You do not have to keep things from me Lone Wolf." Lone Wolf looked at her in surprise. She had spoken to him in a mix of English and Apache. She could not pronounce all the words correctly but he could undertand her meaning.

Perhaps she was strong enough to hear what he kept from her. "We use the arrows not only because we are used to this but because they are more often deadly. An arrow enters the flesh burrowing in to bone and muscle. Sometimes it shatters. Very few survive an arrow. If our aim is true it is always deadly. We do not aim only to wound. We send our arrows to kill."

"When...when you and the others...when you chased the stage did you know there were women in the coach? That I...that a child was in the coach?"

Lone Wolf sighed heavily before answering as truthfully as he could, "No. We hardly ever know who is to be the passengers. Unless someone of importance is on board we have no interest in who is riding in the coaches we attack."

Lone Wolf and Katherine both shot to their feet as she spat angrily, "My mother was important. The other passengers had families who thought they were important. You are all just stupid savages. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." She pounded her fist on his chest as tears began so flow down her cheeks. Lone Wolf let her hit him with her fists until she collapsed to her knees as she cried with her head bowed.

He stood over her in silence knowing her well enough by now to leave her be. If he tried to comfort her it would only anger her more. With each months passing she grew stronger in her spirit. She never backed down from anyone no matter if she faced a warrior or one of the women. She faced everyone with equal bravery.

Jerking her head up she looked him straight in the eye. She dried her tears. She was not weak. She would not show weakness again. She squared her shoulders. If she was to be among these people she needed to understand. Lone Wolf and Fawn were not evil people. They were not cruel. Lone Wolf treated her just as he did his sister Fawn.

"Please sit with me. Please, I want to understand." Lone Wolf was again impressed with her strength.

Sitting down crossed legged from him she asked, "Who are these white men who betray their own kind?" Katherine could feel her blood heat in anger. If ever she met one of these men she vowed she would kill him. Painfully. She took a few deep breaths to bring herself back under control.

"We trade with many white men who give us information. You will met them soon enough. They are due to pay us a visit. We do not ask for a passnenger list. It would make no difference. Know this Yellow Hair, I have never taken the life of a woman or child. Not knowing it if I did. I pray this is the truth. I do not know if I could live if I knew for certain I had taken the life of anyone who was not a warrier. If I could bring your mother back to you I would. If it were up to me I would send you back to your people. None of this is under my control. I only wield so much power. Raging Bear trusts me. He has allowed me to teach you many things that will help you survive."

"A good warior with a bow and arrow is more accurate than a man with a rifle in certain battles. Ambushes are easily made confusing. Arrows can be made to arc. Putting enough of them in the air you confuse your enemy is a good tactic. It is hard to tell from which direction an arrow comes. Rifle shots give away a mans position unless he at some great distance. Then he must be very accurate with his shots. Arrows are quieter during the kill. Many men can be taken out before anyone even knows we have begun our attack. Add a tomahawk and knife and one Indian is worth ten white men with rifles."

"The white man has hunted our land for so many years taking more than can be replaced. The guns can be used at a further distance than the bow. With many less buffalo and elk we must hunt sometimes with a rifle to ensure we make a kill. It is not how we want to hunt it has become necessary to survive."

"Thank you for explaining it to me. I...I don't hate your or Fawn. I don't think I ever did. The others yes I have hated them, but not you or Fawn."

Katherine hesitated only a moment then placed her hand palm up in front of her. Lone Wolf laid his palm on her much smaller hand. He gripped her hand. His hand swallowed hers. He only held her hand for a few seconds then returned to making the bow. No more words were spoken other than instructions for making her bow and arrows.

Katherine remained silent as he continued to show her how to fashion the bow and arrow. She tried so many times with the result ending in disappointment. She would not admit defeat. Many hours of frustration finally paid off when she made a bow that would actually shoot the arrow she made. She made a bow and arrow that was not perfect but she could hunt small game with it, once he taught her how to shoot it.

Katherine followed Lone Wolf when he would leave the camp to hunt. He grew tired of her not so silent footsteps following him. He would either have to tie her to a pole before he left to go hunting or teach her how to stalk game quietly. Lone Wolf did not want to ever have to tie her up again so he began to bring her with him. He taught her how to track without leaving any evidence behind of her own passing. She became one of the best trackers in camp over the years. Not everyone was pleased with her progress. Her hunting skills could match any of the men. It did not come naturally. She had to spend many hours over many months to be anywhere close to even the youngest most inexperienced boy. She put in hour after hour every day until she surpassed many of the best. Lone Wolf or Raging Bear were more than likely the only two who were more skilled than she was after a year or so.

Her first attempts were laughable. This she discovered when she tried to stalk and kill a small deer. Lone Wolf's laughter had angered her so badly she had thrown her guiver of bows to the ground then smashed her bow against a tree. He had only laughed harder as she stalked away. Later she retrieved her quiver of arrows. The bow had not faired as well. She made another. This first try at hunting she had gone after game that was too big. She would start smaller.

Many weeks of failure to not have a reward of even one kill, almost disheartened her into giving in but she perservered. On the day she killed a rabbit she let out a war cry fit for any warrior gaining victory in battle. She spent not one more night in hunger. Lone Wolf taught her how skin her kills. She even learned how to cook them and dry the meat to save for hard times or for taking on trips that lasted many hours or days. Lone Wolf praised that rabbit as if she had taken down the most fierce buffalo. She basked in his praise. This encouraged her to ask for more skills.

He showed her how to make fire using two flint rocks. He also showed her how to use a sharpened stick. The stick was sharpened at one end that he placed in the worn indentation of a rock he always carried in his pouch. He placed dried grass around the stick. Placing the stick between his palms he rubbed his palms together quickly. He worked his hands down the staff of the stick as he rubbed his hands together. The rubbing of the swiftly turning stick against the rock caused heat. Soon a small spiral of smoke could be seen. Lone Wolf blew gently while placing more dried grass on top of the small flame that sprang into life. He began to add samll pieces of wood.

He gave her the stick along with the rock in a leather pouch. He told her to always carry these items with her wherever she went, along with a small amount of grass. If wood was not available buffalo chips when dried burned just as well.

Over the years many things went into that pouch. She traded a few rabbit skins for a fish hook and line with one of the white traders who came to camp. Another trade was made for thread and needle. She took this pouch with her everywhere. If she was going to be gone for the day she slipped in some dried meat. No ever thought to stop her from leaving the camp. They knew she would return. Where would she go? If she did run she was not certain she could find her way home.

There were so many renegade bands of Indians running around. The white outlaws were everywhere. The raiders from the war had long since disbanded or been captured and hung. It was not safe for a lone woman even if she knew how to survive in this sometimes desolate land.

Lone Wolf and Fawn had invited her into their teepee. She thought survival was more important just this once. No more huddling with the camp dogs. The smell on her skin was not something she wanted to become accustomed to. The dogs smelled of animal droppings and just plain old dog. Not a smell a woman wants clinging to her skin.

Because of Lone Wolf's regard for her the others treated her a little less cruely. Most did not show any kindness but did not treat her with the same harshness as before. She accepted these kindnesses while still clinging to her wish to return to her old life. Someday she would return to her old life.

Six months passed with little change in Katherine's resolve. She would one day return home. She just had to hold on to her identity. All efforts to make her leave her life as a white woman were met with disdain and open hostility. She clung to her clothing until the rags no longer covered her. She stubbornly refused Fawn's offers of clothing.

Lone Wolf took matters into his own hands. He threatened to strip the rags from her if she did not do it herself. Winter was coming. She needed to stay warm. When snow began to fall she gave in. She could not bare to discard her one tangible link to her past. She folded the tattered cloth tucking it under her pallet of skins.

She wondered if, when, she was rescued if there would be any of Katherine Montgomery left. Would her father want a girl named Yellow Hair? Perhaps he had remarried and now had a new family. Often when she thought of her father she would wonder if the reason he did not come for her was because he had found another little girl to love. Someone else taken her place in his heart.

She did not want to admit how much she cared for Lone Wolf. If she had ever had a brother she would have wished for one as kind, honest and loyal as Lone Wolf. He proved his bravery evey time they left camp. Everyone regarded him with the same respect they did Raging Bear. Fawn was a shy, quiet girl. She was only a few months younger than Katherine.

If she could love others as her family she supposed it was only right to wish the same for her father. Accepting that did not make her feel any the less hurt or stem the flow of her tears that night as she lay on her pallet of buffalo hide and blankets.

As Lone Wolf heard her he lay in his own bed. He wanted to go to her but knew she would not wish him to know she cried. Looking over at Fawn he saw her awake. She returned his sad look. Lone Wolf nodded his head toward Yellow Hair. Fawn looked over her shoulder. She looked back at her brother. Silently she nodded back at him. Rolling over she faced Yellow Hair. Stretching her hand out she waited for Yellow Hair to either take her hand or reject her gesture. After only a few seconds Yellow Hair took her hand giving it a sqeeze which Fawn returned. A lifetime friendship was formed over silent tears and a hand extended in silent comfort.


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen  
Memories Fade With Time**

Katherine's life was a struggle to accept who she was now while trying to save just some small piece of who she had been. Each month that passed it became harder. Life in camp was so different from what she was used to in her everyday life back home. She had no familiar tokens to remind her where she came from or who she was. She was not allowed to speak in English within the hearing of anyone other than Lone Wolf or Fawn. She had not even seen her face in a mirror since she had been taken. She knew she was changing in her appearance. Her hair was much longer than it had been. Her body was altering in a womanly fashion. Something she and Emily would have giggled about for hours during an overnight visit. She missed her old friend perhaps as much as she missed her parents.

Her second beating came nine months after captured. Her refusal to care for Grey Eagle's horse upon returning from a hunting trip earned her another five lashes of a whip across her back. The first sting of leather was the forerunner of many to come over the next year before she lost all hope of going home. Many scars graced the young girl's back. Each mark earned by her refusal to give in, to accept things as they were. At all times she held her tears until she felt the warm cocoon of darkness surround her as she snuggled underneath her buffalo hides. Her silent tears rained freely down but not one sob pushed past her lips. Muffled sounds were all that could be heard.

Lone Wolf felt he had failed to protect her. He did not want to kill her spirit. If she could just hold on she would become one of them. With each passing moon she became more Apache than white woman. She still cried when something reminded her of the home she had not seen in many moons. Never where anyone could see or hear her unless listening as he did outside the teepee.

Lone Wolf would stand outside the opening to their teepee listening to her quiet heartbreak. Through the flap over the opening he could just hear the nearly silent sobs she would not give full voice. He could do little to protect her from her own foolish pride. It saddened him to see the fire in her eyes dim a little more with each passing of the sun. Every humiliation lowered her spirit. Soon she would have nothing left but her sorrow if she did not find a way to live among them.

Almost a year after her capture she had given the rest of her now completely tattered clothing up for warmer winter wear. Lone Wolf had forced her to remove the outer dress long ago, but he had let her keep her petticoat and bloomers. If she froze to death she could never return home. She couldn't bear to discard it entirely. She folded the last shredded remnants of her last link to her old life placing them inside the leather pouch Lone Wolf had given her. She placed this last bit of her old life inside along with the dress that still carried the bloodstains of her mother. All she had in the world fit into a twelve by twelve leather pouch. Not much for nearly fourteen years of life. It was all she had left of her old life other than her fading memories. When she touched the material she could dream of home and have vivid pictures of her old life in her head. As the years passed those memories slipped further and further away.

She held that piece of cloth to her chest as she cried silent tears that night. Almost every piece of evidence she had of her old life was gone. Each day she found herself speaking more Apache than English. At fourteen she was no longer a little girl. She for sure was not a lady. Her thirteenth birthday had slipped by with no celebration. She had only been with the tribe for three months when she remembered it was her birthday. She had too keep her memories fresh in her mind. She feared losing the last link she had to her mother and her old life. Once her memories faded Katherine would fade away too. She would then only be Yellow Hair.

As she slipped her legs into the leather leggings she felt as if she slipped from one life to another. She left her old self behind to become someone else. Her old life was almost completely gone. She feared the day when she could no longer remember anything from before she was taken. She wondered if she would feel as if she had in some way died. Perhaps it would be best if she could come to think of her old self as dead.

Her Fourteenth birthday had come and gone quietly, just as her thirteenth birthday had passed with no birthday presents or wishes for a happy day. The realization that they no longer searched for her came after a year passed with one more birthday then another Christmas without any sign of anyone even searching for her. Once that spark left her eyes she accepted all they asked of her. This was home now. They would never be her people she thought at that time, but she could live in harmony if she had no other choice. A little over a year of rebellion ended with her surrender to her fate. After a year in captivity Katherine Montgomery buried her old life becoming Yellow Hair.

Lone Wolf and Fawn had learned of the day of her birth shortly after her second year with them. Lone Wolf and Fawn had celebrated the day with her by giving her gifts a few days after her birthday. She was pleased someone acknowledged her day even if it was several days later. During her third year she celebrated her sixteenth birthday. She received many gifts. Nothing like what she would have received from her family or friends at home. Lone Wolf and Fawn gave her beautiful as well as useful things such as moccasins, woven blankets and a new soft leather dress Fawn had made. Fawn had given her a necklace with beads that represented each year of her life so far. The beads were made from the clay found in the soil in some of the places they camped. White beads were for her years before coming to them and yellow for the years she spent with them. She was given a small leather pouch with many yellow beads to be added as the years passed.

For her seventeenth birthday Lone Wolf gave her a pony. She named her Early Morning Mist because she was a light grey color. That long title became Misty. She was not an Indian pony nor one of the wild mustangs roaming the mountain ranges and prairie lands.

Lone Wolf had _**"found" **_Misty after a raid on a ranch one night. The raid had been a distraction so others could steal horses along with a few head of cattle. The horses were either kept or traded to the white men who came to the camps seeking to keep peace with the Indians so they could continue to mine for gold or trap for furs.

Lone Wolf spent many hours teaching her how to ride without a saddle. Each time she used one of Lone Wolf's curses when she fell Katherine was almost ready to give up. Lone Wolf's laughter stiffened her spine while forcing her on Misty's back once more, only to land in the dirt shortly after climbing on her back. Climbing on Misty's back was a feat in itself. She had to grab a handful of her mane as she jumped up, hopefully landing on her stomach across Misty's back, then she would through her leg across her back.

The only way to stay seated was to grip with her knees. The first few days her legs felt as if they were filled with water. Her backside felt as if a wooden paddle had been whopped against her several times. The day she stayed on Misty's back all day without once hitting the ground with anything other than her feet she felt proud of her accomplishment. Soon she learned how to gently guide Misty with only the rope around her head and her knees.

Over the years many white men came into the camp to trade. They knew it was unwise to question why a yellow haired young woman was living in their camp. Many did not care. Gold held no monetary value for Raging Bear other than its value to the white man. It was simply an item to use for trade. One man in particular Katherine did not like. Jackson Tyler was a handsome man. His cold blue eyes made Katherine shiver. After having his eyes rake over her when she was only fourteen she made a point never to be in camp when he came.

He did not want to mine or trap. He just wanted the gold. He traded guns, ammunition, bolts of colorful material, flour, salt, beans, and blankets. She learned he was from Virginia. She had been tempted to speak with him. She longed to ask if he knew of her father. His unsettling glances seeming to inspect her intimately along with her fear of what punishment she might receive for speaking to an outsider held her tongue silent.

Lone Wolf told her the stories of long dead great warriors as well as stories of the brave warriors who lived still and fought the white man for their land. When she pressed him he told her about the struggle of his people just to keep the land that had been theirs in all the memories of ancestors since the ground they walked on had begun to flourish. Tales of the great ancestors had been handed down from father to son as long the sun had been rising and setting. The stories were recorded on animal hides and kept by the medicine man.

He retold them during special tribal ceremonies. It was important to keep the stories of the past alive in the memories of the young so they knew where they came from and the pride of their people. Lone Wolf told her that once his tribe had been many. The coming of the white man had lessoned their numbers. Raids on villages forced his people to move from the land of much bounty to live as feathers in the wind. They settled for a while then the wind picked them up and blew them to another place until a strong breeze came again. The illnesses the white men brought added to their lessoning numbers. Other tribes had been all but wiped from the face of the earth. The white man brought many diseases the Indian had never been exposed to before.

Katherine was torn. Her loyalties should be with her family, neighbors and friends. The death of her mother still pained her but she no longer blamed her captors for her death. In some strange way she understood they did not have anything against her mother personally. Lone Wolf and his people were only trying to keep what was rightfully theirs.

Her mother was a victim of a terrible act but many such unprovoked acts had been committed by her own people. Twice in the last year men had come and attacked killing indiscriminately. The ones who remained collected the dead and the tribe mourned as a whole. Each attack left her feeling ill. She could not understand why these things happened. There was bounty to be shared by everyone. There was still vast lands uninhabited by humans. Enough for everyone.  
She accepted her fate for now but someday she would return to her father. That one goal made the acceptance of her life in camp much easier.

Lone Wolf watched her with pride through the many years. Her success was his also He showed her how to dress and dry the meat. He would have shown her how to cure the hide but Fawn his half sister could show her this skill and give her a way to become a part of the women's social gatherings. .

Now many years later she was taking care of herself. She had a family. A brother and sister. For now this was enough. Lone Wolf and Fawn were the only reason she didn't go completely insane all her years in captivity. Lone Wolf had told her Raging Bear had admiration for her but he couldn't openly show anything other than indifference in front of others. He told her that any privileges she was rewarded was only because Raging Bear allowed them.  
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Summer 1870

Yellow Hair woke wondering if they would remember. Today was her eighteenth birthday. Not once since they started celebrating her birthday had they forgotten. She glanced over at the other two empty beds. Anxious to see what gifts she would get she crawled out from under the hide and stretched. Lone Wolf had been hinting she should accept one of the young men who had spoken to him about offering for her. One sentence he was encouraging her to accept an offer then in the very next breath he reminded her how young she was, how many years she had before she needed to make such a decision. She and Fawn had both come to the conclusion he was not ready to conceded either one of them was ready to become a wife. Something they were both grateful for as neither one of them had found themselves liking any one man in any special way. As men they were heroic, as husbands they were not quite so pleasing. They both wanted to wait until their hearts told them not one more day could pass without joining with whomever they eventually came to care for.

Katherine had been too young to think of such things when she was captured. She knew for sure a white woman was not traded for a couple of horses or any other of the things they had been offering for her. She had heard of arranged marriages of course, even doweries. It was strange to think here in camp a horse was equal to the value of a woman one coveted.

A presence outside the opening of the teepee drew her attention. It was Lone Wolf and Fawn. They had brought her some breakfast. Hot corn cakes and some venison from yesterday's hunt sat on the wooden plate giving off a heavenly aroma that caused a growling in her belly.

"I suppose we should eat first or that bear in your belly may escape and make a meal of us." As he spoke he offered Katherine the plate. She eagerly took it while her mouth watered in anticipation of the treat soon to come.

Katherine eyed the packages wrapped in the softest deer hides. Quickly eating she wanted to open her gifts and see what they had given her.

With the last bite being chewed Katherine casually asked, "So, do you have any special plans for today? Anything of importance happening? Are those gifts for someone special?"

Lone Wolf looked calmly at Fawn. She smiled secretively back at him. It was always fun to tease Yellow Hair. She had become more of a sister to Fawn and Lone Wolf. Many even referred to her as the sister of Lone Wolf and Fawn.

"No, I can not think of anything special about today. I have no special plans." Turning to Fawn he asked in mock concentration, " Fawn can you think of any reason today would be any different than yesterday? I can think of not one important thing about today that comes to mind. As for these wrapped objects, well I was going to give them to Whispering Wind, but I suppose you could have them. What do you think Fawn? Should I let her have these and disappoint a maiden?"

Fawn and Katherine looked at each other and broke out in giggles. Every year it was the same. They pretended not to know it was her birthday while teasing her with her gifts. She knew they would not forget just as she never forgot how many moons had to pass for each of their birthdays to come. She kept track of the days on a piece of leather. She used the dyes from plants to write a little about each day she spent in camp. It was hard to write on the leather so most of her recording was done in pictures as she had seen in many different places in camp. When she was returned she wanted to be able to tell everyone what had happened to her.

"Better to disappoint a maiden than lose some part you value brother. I think Yellow Hair is a fair match for you now. If I helped I think we would the victors. What do you think Yellow Hair?" She raised her brow in teasing enquiry.

"I think Lone Wolf would do well to listen to the wise words of a woman. Warriors only think below their waist. Women use cunning to gain their prize not the needs of the body."

"Since when does my little sister speak of such things? If I find some young buck sneaking around he'll not live to grow old." He spoke in a teasing tone that softened the warning behind his words. He was not ready to see either of them become women just yet. Perhaps that was selfishness on his part. He did not want to lose them just yet. Maybe next year. Or the one after that.

Katherine looked at Fawn who looked back at her giving a slight nod of her head. They both launched themselves on him. They tickled each other as they rolled around like small children. Both Fawn and Katherine straddled him asking him if he was ready to surrender. Conceding defeat he rolled to his feet. With a wicked grin he raised the gifts high above his head.

"No fair. You cheated Lone Wolf. You surrendered."

"Yes but as the victor you should have made sure to have the prize before releasing your foe." He laughed as she jumped up trying to catch hold of one of the packages. At last he lowered his hand just enough so she could jump up and retrieve her gifts. He let her think she won. Sometimes it was not needed to beat someone in a contest in order to still have a victory. Her love for him and his sister was all the victory he needed from her.

She grabbed the hides out of Lone Wolf's hands as he chuckled at her greediness and childlike eagerness. The first gift was from Fawn. It was a beaded necklace similar to the one she had given her before only with the additional colored beads. This one was to add beads to as events occurred in her life. The white beads represented the years she spent with them. The red were her birthdays. The yellow was when she became a part of their family. Fawn gave her a leather pouch with many colored clay beads. The blue she would add when she found a husband. Orange was for her future children. There were quite a few orange. Katherine asked if she was supposed to have a child for every bead in the pouch. Fawn told her that it was better to be safe with extras. The other colors Katherine could designate as events happened and she wanted to add to her life necklace.

Lone Wolf had given her a pair of moccasins made from the softest deer hides. The last larger package contained a bow and quiver full of arrows wrapped in a soft blanket. Lone Wolf had spent many hours making these gifts. They were some of his finest work. For him to give her such gifts meant so much to her. He thought of her as an equal.

She hugged Lone Wolf and whispered in his ear, "Thank you brother. I love you." He hugged her tightly for a brief moment then released her to be engulfed in a tight hug from Fawn. Outside among others they were not so free with their expressions of caring. Some in the camp still resented Katherine.

With her new found peace with her life tranquility entered her and life went on until before she realized it she was a woman. The year of her twenty-first birthday brought many changes for her. Changes that led her to a path to find her way home. A path leading to her future.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

**Heroic Deeds**

The true turning point in Katherine's life in the tribe was eight years after her capture. She had celebrated her twenty-first birthday only a few short months before. The young men of the tribe had been gone a few days hunting for food for the long winter ahead. Only the older men, women and children were in camp. She was with the other women bathing in the stream far enough from camp to give the women privacy. The women were carrying on conversations as they removed their moccasins preparing to remove their clothing when several white men came storming into the midst of the women. They ran down a young woman and then proceeded to attack the others ripping the clothing from their bodies with no regard for the pleas of the women and children.

Katherine watched in paralyzed horror as the men assaulted the women mercilessly. Some were mere children, girls as young as twelve years of age being brutallized by much larger men. The men knocked them to the ground covering them with their own larger filthy bodies. She could hear screams of pain as the men defiled the women. Knives were held to their throats while the men opened their trousers then thrust brutally into whatever poor soul lay beneath them.

Katherine had been in the bushes reliving herself when the attack began. She stood frozen for what seemed long minutes but was in reality but a mere few seconds. Not giving herself time to think further she grabbed her bow and arrows and ran into the open and drew an arrow from her quiver. She took aim and let the arrow fly. Her shot was true for the man holding Fawn fell to the ground dead with an arrow right throw his heart.

The foolish men had let their lust and evil hearts make them careless. Not one man had his rifle handy. All they had were the knifes in their hands. Some were half clothed as in their lust they had dropped their trousers to their ankles. Katherine felt a rage enter her at the cruelty of the men. Not satisfied with defiling the women they were even attacking the young girls. They were only children.

Her next shot hit a man in his right shoulder. He loosened his grip on White Dove the daughter of Raging Bear. She wasn't taking time to aim to kill after her first arrow had been released. Her intention was to hit where she could to drive them away. If she could have taken the time to kill each man she would have. She had to soothe her soul with the knowledge that she would at least save the young women from being raped and murdered. Some of the other women began to attack the men as Katherine injured the men holding them. After five men fell the ones still unharmed abandoned their attack and grabbed their wounded and dead and retreated. Katherine stopped the flight of her arrows but kept her arrow ready and pointed in the direction of the men. The ones closest to her put their hands in the air and backed away. Seeing a woman wielding the weapon was a shock but that she was a young white woman was unbelievable.

One of the men shouted at her before he road away. "Come with us girl we can take you home. Put your weapon down and come with us."

"You try to rape my sisters and think I will go with you? You attack us without any reason. If your animal instincts had not ruled you none of this need have happened."

"Give me your name so I may tell your family. What is your name girl? Come on be quick about it."

"My name is Yellow Hair. The person I was is now dead. Her name was Katherine Montgomery. No one looks for me. Go before I change my mind about letting you live."

The man had no doubt she meant every word for there was a cold look in her eyes. The look men got during battle and it was kill or be killed. This girl couldn't be more than in her late teens or early twenties. She looked as fierce as any warrior the man had ever seen. He had to admit she was a magnificent sight. Her ferocity was only rivaled by her beauty. He would remember the sight of her long blond braids and sun browned skin for as long as he lived. The beauty of her eyes in no way diminished by her savagery. It enhanced it. If he thought he could make it he would take her. She would be magnificent to tame. Shrugging he whipped his horse around. As good as he knew it would be it wasn't worth his life for a quick fuck with a savage. For as much as she looked like a white woman her years in captivity had made her a savage. No better than the red devils tainting the land.

Katherine kept her bow ready until she could no longer see the men and the dust from their retreating horses settled down and the air was once again still and clear.

She walked among the wounded bleeding women and children. She turned her eyes away for a moment for she could not comprehend how any person could do such an ungodly act upon another human being. That it was from her own race made her ashamed. The people she had fought so hard to return to for so many years had acted as savages. Ashamed to be white and ashamed to be human the young woman bent to help her fellow fallen people. She wanted no part of a people who could do this kind of violence to children and unarmed women. The attack was unprovoked and unnecessary.

Gathering the injured children and women the ones who could walk aided the ones who needed assistance. Fear and shame shown from each face of those who had not escaped the savagery of those white devils. Evil spirits had been in the meadow on this day. The spot would be tainted until it could be cleansed of the evil that now clung to each blade of grass. The women wailed in sorrow.

When Raging Bear and Lone Wolf returned it was to find the camp grieving as if a death had occurred. Indeed a kind of death had taken place that day. The death of the children's innocence at the hands of unfeeling pigs still had Katherine in the grips of anger she had not felt for many years.

That evening when all was quiet Raging Bear sent Lone Wolf to bring the yellow hair to his teepee. His eyes had barely left his daughter's sleeping form since she had laid down on the pile of skins. The emptiness in her young eyes gave him great sorrow and fueled an anger so strong he feared he would die from the strength of it. She had not be taken by the man who attacked her. Katherine had injured him before he could harm his daughter more than he already had by brutalizing her.

Never in all his years of battling against the white man had he felt his anger directed at one person. All his battles had been fought to save his people's way of life. Now he wanted nothing more than to hunt down each man who had been there that day and bring such pain to them they begged for the release of death. No longer was he going to fight battles not knowing who he killed. From this day on he would not rest until each man was tracked down. He would end the life of those who committed these evil acts and kill each man in such a way as to bring fear into the man he sought next.

The flap opened and brought him from his thoughts of revenge. The yellow hair stood proud and unafraid as always. He could not remember a time when she had ever shown anything but fearless pride when in the presence of others. He asked Lone Wolf to stay and act as his voice as he spoke no English and the yellow hair could not address him directly.

White Dove woke when she heard Lone Wolf and Yellow Hair enter. She went to sit at her father's side. For tonight he would sllow her to sit with him as he spoke of todays dark deeds.

Lone Wolf sat down first as was correct. Katherine would only sit if Raging Bear permitted her to do so. It would be an insult to take for granted an invitation to sit with the chief.

Raging Bear indicated for her to sit. She sat crossed legged just across from him on the other side of the fire. She sat in silence waiting for him to address her. She hadn't done anything wrong so she had no fear in his presence.

"Yellow Hair this day you proved yourself as brave as any warrior. We are in your debt. I most of all thank the spirits that watch our people for your presence and strength today. My daughter and the others may not have survived had you not stepped in. In honor of your bravery I give you my most precious beaded necklace. My father was given this by his father and as far back as our family walked this earth this has been in our family. A bead is added for each act of bravery a member of my family has committed. Today I added one bead in honor of your bravery. You are from this day as a daughter to me. A new name will be given to you at this evenings ceremony." Raging Bear waited for Lone Wolf to translate his words.

Katherine listened to Lone Wolf relay his chief's words before speaking. "It is my honor to have such a prized gift. My bravery was no more than any other would have done. An attack came without warning and I had the means to ward off the attackers."

The chief's daughter, White Dove, finally spoke. "Father this one came from the safety of the bushes and faced men stronger and their numbers greater than hers. Not once did she stop in her attack. She stepped forward just as a brave would have. We owe her our lives along with our respect. My shame will last until I have earned her forgiveness for the ill treatment I have shown her. She will be a sister in my eyes till we part Mother Earth and beyond."

Lone Wolf relayed the words of White Dove. Katherine held no ill will to any of the women who treated her unkindly. Their hatred stemmed from the treatment of the white men their men fought in battle or from the many raids on their camp.

Not wanting to appear too soft Raging Bear dismissed Lone Wolf and Katherine. Lone Wolf said nothing as they returned to the center of camp. His warm heavy hand on her shoulder said as much with that contact as many men would have said with dozens of words. He was proud of her. He had no regrets for accepting her as his sister. She had done well. Katherine felt pride in herself as well. She wished her mother could have seen her today. Thinking of her mother and the lessons she had given her about heaven she thought maybe her mother was looking down right now. She hoped so.

That evening after much celebrating and dances around the fire and stories told by the medicine man of long ago the name Yellow Hair was called for the last time. Raging Bear had chosen the new name for his new daughter. White Eagle was to be her name from this moment on. Her bravery was that of an eagle and her vigilance in watching over the others rivaled that great bird. As Raging Bear told them her new name he told of the great eagle he had seen soaring above him as he sat on a hill waiting for Yellow Hair's new name to be given to him. The eagle had swooped down close but never touched the ground. The feathers were mostly white and in the sun rays looked completely white. The eagle had swooped several more times landing once close by looking Raging Bear in the eye then soaring back to the heavens. One last swoop down and it returned to where it came from to show him her name. Be it the spirit world or this world the message was clear. Their new member of their tribe was to be White Eagle.

When the sun rose Raging Bear wanted White Eagle and five of his best warriors to track the men. Lone Wolf was among them. Lone Wolf would go in the place of Raging Bear. He could not bear to leave his daughter again so soon after her ordeal. They would take the life of each man bringing back his hair as proof of his last breath. White Eagle would go along as tracker. She would lead the party to find the men. She would not take part in the killing. He would not ask that of her. Her skills as tracker would be her part of the journey.

Raging Bear had debated if he wanted them to suffer agony long before death claimed them. The kill would be enough for him. Each drop of blood would heal a wound in his people. His own heart would continue to bleed for many moons. His rage demanded a tortuous death but he knew White Eagle would not track the men if their death was foreshadowed with torture. A quick death was to be given to each man as was an opportunity to make peace with their god before death. That is the only mercy Raging Bear would grant the men.

Early the next morning Katherine went with the silent group of men following the tracks left behind. This was not a journey she wanted to make but she owed it to Raging Bear to help find these men. At least it was to be quick.

It took two weeks to find all of those cowardly beasts. Katherine could not think of them as men as she had seen them behaving as animals would attacking prey. The men had separated a couple of days after leaving the women lying half dead in the water of the creek running red with blood. The first men they found were all to eager to give the locations of the others thinking they could save their own lives. When they realized they were to die they had begged and pleaded. Their cries for mercy had brought tears to Katherine's eyes. Her tears dried when they found the young bound Indian girls in the barn. Cursing those white devils she wished she could bring them back only to torture them then listen to them beg as she cut their throats. In the state of her anger she could easily have done this without guilt or remorse.

They had cut their bindings. One of the tracking party could speak a little of their langauge. He asked them what tribe they belonged to and if they could find their way home. The girls had known how to find their way home so time need not be wasted returning them to their home. Taking horses, food and blankets they had ridden away from the place that had been a place of evil spirits ever since they arrived a month ago. The men had taken them from their camp when the men were out hunting.

Katherine's softer emotions were buried for the rest of the time she tracked the last men. The last man they found in a hotel in a small town. Getting into the hotel was simple. Quietly they slipped into the darkened room and slit the throat of the last man. His hair was removed and they left as quietly as they entered.

Privately Katherine admitted it was barbaric to do what they did but it was also barbaric what had been done to the Indian Nations. Their was no greater cruelty committed against man than what man did to himself. Man was the cruelest animal walking the earth.

They only stopped to rest the horses and eat and drink. Short naps were taken while the horses were resting. The men talked among themselves. She didn't know all what they said but she knew enough to know they spoke of her. She had earned their respect. A couple even gave in enough to smile at her one morning. To be acknowledged by a brave was an honor. Being a woman and white it was almost unheard of. The only notice she had gotten from most of the males consisted of the back of a hand striking across her face or a foot connecting with some part of her body or demands for food to be brought to them.

Katherine's place in the tribe was secure. Her life got easier after tracking the men who attacked the women in the meadow. She felt a part of them as she never had before. Her old life was becoming a lost memory. She thought of her father less and less. Soon though the decision to return to her people would be made for her. That decision set the path to her future meeting with the broken man searching for his place in this world and the acceptance of him being in it. This year of 1873 was a time of change for many. The winds carried the seeds of change across the ocean. The people involved in the Paris opera affair in 1870 had no idea how their lives would be changing over the next few years. Much pain and sorrows had to be lived through. Love lost and found would mend some hearts and tear others apart.


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-one  
Winds of Change Winter 1872 **

Months went by and winter had hit the tribe hard. Food was scarce. The snowfall this year had been more than had fallen in many years. Spring was drawing nearer. Everyone longed for warmer weather. This winter had taken many of the elders of the tribe. Fire Walker, was one of the few older tribe members who had survived the dipping temperatures. Katherine never could quite say how it happened, but she had taken to the crochety older man. He complained for some time at the beginning of each visit. After she listened to him without showing any signs of boredom he would begin to tell her of days from the past.

An odd affection had developed between them. He gave her a gold nugget that was as big a the biggest marble she had ever seen. It meant little to him other than he had taken it out of a dead white man's hand after their village had been raided many moons ago. In the aftermath those who had survived had tracked down the band of trappers who had attacked them without provocation. Each man was killed. Fire Walker embellished details somewhat hoping to force her into admitting his very specific details of acts committed would at last break her calm acceptance of his tales against her people. Not so much as by a twitch of an eye did she ever show him she was less than brave. She was strong willed he knew that for certain. Their friendship perhaps started when he had been sick with no one to take care of him. He was going to be left behind when they moved again.

It had been done with others before. They simply stayed where they were until they rejoined the spirits of their tribe. The older ones could not keep up the fast pace needed to stay ahead of the Whiteman's army. Fire Walker had been going to stay behind when Katherine had come upon him sitting in front of his teepee while everyone else packed to leave. She had stopped to enquire as to why he did not pack his things. He had replied he had no energy to travel that day. If tomorrow he felt better he might pack up and rejoin them or simply stay there until he died.

Katherine had begun to pack his things on the sled. She hooked the two dogs he had that pulled his sled. He had not said any more and neither had she. Since then each move after helping Lone Wolf and Fawn she had gone to pack his things then prepare the dogs and sled. For the last two years she had done this.

Every morning Katherine took Fire Walker some breakfast. She made sure he had a fire in his teepee. She even gave him one of her blankets when his had been lost in the last move. Katherine had told him that if they moved again she was thinking of moving in with him. It would be easier. Besides he needed someone to take of him. He had argued that he was a man, not in need of a woman's help, unless she cared to share his blanket. The old man had laughed until he coughed, choking himself, when she had turned red as a berry. She had been speechless until she had seen the twinkle in his eye.

The old reprobate could barely walk let alone take care of a young maiden. He had been quick to assure her though that a few years ago when his joints were not so stiff and his bones not so brittle he would have given the young bucks a challenge.

Winter had not let go it's hold on the land just yet. Spring was finally making itself felt with a few warm days here and there but the last snows of winter were still falling. Soon blankets of white would be covering the ground after just melting away in an unexpected warm spell. Katherine and Fawn had welcomed the warmer weather. Sitting in a teepee all day, unless hunting was not in any way an enjoyable task.

The tribe had moved from the Arizona Territory to the state of Missouri trying to stay ahead of the soldiers tracking all the larger bands of Indians. The white man wanted them removed to reservations or dead. Raging Bear remembered his father telling about the removal of the Cherokee many years ago. The walk on the trail to their new home had killed many. The walk was known as the Trail of Tears. A fitting name. More tears had been shed during and after the long march than in any year since the white man's move into the west. Raging Bear would not lead his people to that fate. If they were to die let it be fighting to hold what was theirs and for the right to be free to come and go as his people had always done. He was born an Apache brave living free he would die the same. He would not be tethered like an animal kept from wandering. No one would hold him if he did not wish it. He knew a battle was coming soon. His dreams had foretold of the great battle by his people to keep what little they still called their own.

More and more he watched White Eagle. He worried about her. She should be with her people. His people loved and respected her but she had earned the right to return to her old life. The decision was made to let her return when his scouts spotted two columns of soldiers heading in from the north and south. The river blocked retreat west and east would take them too far into white man's territory. He made his decision and sent for Lone Wolf.

Lone Wolf had no idea what Raging Bear wanted. He knew his chief was troubled by the many moves they had made in the last few months. Food was becoming harder to hunt. The hunting parties were forced to go greater distances to find game. Occasionally they raided a farm or ranch. They took only enough to feed the women and children. Raging Bear knew these thefts would bring the soldiers chasing after him but his people needed to eat.

Lone Wolf entered Raging Bear's teepee. He sat down and waited for the man across from him to find the words he needed before speaking. When he did his surprise was clearly on his face as was his objections. There had been no ceremony. Just silent consideration of some difficult decision.

"Lone Wolf I have thought long and hard. This is not an easy decision but it is the right decision. You will take White Eagle, White Dove and Fawn. You will go to the home of White Eagle. Return her and make sure she is safe and welcomed back into her family. Fawn and White Dove will go with you. I send them with you as I fear these are our last days. Hundreds of soldiers are closing ranks as we speak. A few days and they will catch up with us. Ride hard for the first few days. Make sure no one tracks you. If you are found with White Eagle they will shoot first and worry about answers later."

As Lone Wolf went to protest Raging Bear held up his hand for silence sadly saying, "I know this is not what you would wish to do. You feel your place is with us. One man will not make the difference. One hundred men would not change the outcome of the next few days. You have fought bravely for many moons. Now it is time for you to fight a different battle. Return to your other people Lone Wolf. Find your mother. I know it has saddened you not to have seen or heard from her in all these years. It is time to go home."

"Our people can not run any longer. Their spirits are withering and dying. My one good thing to go with me into the spirit world will be to return White Eagle to her people. I owe her this. Fawn is to go with you as her death would serve no purpose. I send my daughter with the history of our tribe. The medicine man will give her the skins that tell our story. I have sought his council. He has seen the wisdom of my choice. Take these three women and keep them safe. I will have White Dove ready to go before first light. Leave at the first ray of light before the camp stirs. I do not wish for any one to try to stop you."

No matter what objections he voiced Raging Bear was adamant. White Eagle would return to her people. With Lone Wolf, Fawn and White Dove the continuation of their people and their history would be preserved. At last there were no more arguments. Only resignation of what was to be. Lone Wolf knew that if things went the way Raging Bear wished he would die when next he faced his enemy. He did not want to live as an animal. He was Apache. All Apache's were meant to be free of any bindings holding their spirit down.

"Go with my blessings Lone Wolf. My heart goes with you and these three special women. Keep them safe as well as yourself."

"Always. With the last breath I breathe. My life for theirs. We shall be as one. White Eagle shall be returned and I will find a place to keep your daughter safe. You have my promise."

"You did not have to speak of your promise. I know your honor as a warrior would allow you to do no less. Many may say I chose to save my daughter selfishly but it is what I have to do. Someone must live on to make our story be heard in the winds traveling into the future. Our time as a great nation is over. All we have left is our honor in dying for what we believe to be more valuable than our own lives. Our children should have had this land to grow up in proud and strong. They should not be penned in or walked into the swampland further south. The bounty found in these lands should have remained ours. There is enough for everyone but the white man wants it all. He wants not one Apache, Cherokee, Hopi, not one Indian to walk the land. He wants all the tribes to vanish. Some have already become ghosts. You only hear of the Mohegans in whispers in the wind. They are no more. If we die at least White Dove will live to keep our memory alive. She can tell how we lived and how we died."

Raging Bear stood as did Lone Wolf. They clasped hands in Indian fashion. Sadness was edging into both men's eyes. Both knew this would more than likely be the last time they would see each other this side of the spirit world. Lone Wolf would do as his chief asked. He did not like it but his chief gave him this quest and he would see it through or die in the attempt.

He found Fawn and told her to pack what she could. Food, warm clothing, blankets, extra moccasins and choose two pack horses. Her own Indian pony Sprit would be her mount. He would have him hidden along with his own mount Wind Runner. When she would have asked questions he told her do as he said without question. Her place was not to ask why but to obey. Her brother never spoke to her in this way. There had to be something terribly wrong for him to speak so harshly to her and treat her as less than his equal. In private he treated her and White Eagle as equals only showing superiority when others were around.

Lone Wolf found White Eagle sitting with the children. She had one on her lap and one on either side of her leaning on her shoulders. The rest were sitting around in the same crossed legged way she was. She was singing them a song she had made up a few years ago to sooth the upset children during one of their many moves. Everyone loved her voice. The soft soothing tenor along with the words drove away all bad feelings, filling anyone listening with warmth. It felt as if soothing hands touched your skin chasing away anything harmful. Unwillingly Lone Wolf found himself being pulled into the spell she was weaving around the children.

Her voice sounded as if it whispered in the wind caressing the ear. The words were meant to soothe but it was the tone that wove the spell. Never had Lone Wolf heard such beauty in a voice. The spirit of song had blessed her. When she sang and her sun whitened hair blew in the breeze she looked unreal. She could be a spirit. Sometimes she seemed otherworldly. At times she seemed to be not of this earth. When her voice whispered in the wind Lone Wolf was not sure she was a woman or an earthbound spirit.

Lone Wolf had teasingly said they should send her into battle ahead of them and the soldiers would be lulled into trusting sleep. Listening to her now he had to think that it would not be far from the truth. He himself wanted nothing more than to listen to her and lay down at her feet and sleep leaving all cares and worries behind in the peaceful darkness of sleep. Shaking himself from his relaxed stance he straightened and called to White Eagle in a tone of voice a little harsher than he intended.

She was surprised at his tone but quietly told the children to return to their mothers and she would sing to them tomorrow.

Lone Wolf did not know how to tell her that tomorrow she would be hundreds of miles away, taking a long journey home. Lone Wolf, Fawn and White Dove would have no home and their people may well disappear from the face of the earth with the next full moon.

"What is wrong Lone Wolf? You look troubled."

"Raging Bear has ordered me to return you to your people. We leave at dawn as the first light comes over the hill. Have what you will take with you ready. Be ready at first light. I will take Misty with the other horses I will hide just outside camp. Fawn and White Dove are to come too. We must leave before the camp starts to stir."

"But why now? What is happening? I want to go back I just wonder why now? Something bad is going to happen or you would not be taking three women out of camp. Your two sisters and the chief's daughter."

"Two columns of soldiers will reach us within the next few days. Raging Bear will not go peacefully or surrender. He will die in battle if he can not avoid this fight. This is a way to return the good deed you did. He has wanted to return you for some time but he had grown attached to you. This is the only thing he can do and have you live. He will not chance your death by having you stay."

"We should be with our people. They will need everyone. Now is the time to stay together not separate."

Lone Wolf noticed she said "our people". Perhaps trying to do the right thing Raging Bear sent her to a place she did not fit into any longer. "We will do as our chief asks. No more talk. Be ready or go with what you have on. You will go."

Not much sleep came to those who knew of the coming early morning departure. The light had just begun to chase the shadows when the four left the camp quickly and quietly. The dogs were given meat so their barks were quieted. Six horses waited outside camp. Lone Wolf and Raging Bear put the supplies on two horses. Raging Bear said good-bye to his daughter. He hoped it would not be the last time his eyes looked upon her face. The four riders mounted their horses and left without looking back. To look back would only add to the pain. Fawn and White Dove were crying. Lone Wolf had a hard look on his face. Only Katherine looked stoic as she sat on Misty's back. No expression showed in her eyes or on her face. If she were marble she could have been a statue.

After being sure they were far enough from camp for no one to hear the horses hooves Lone Wolf sped up the pace. He wanted as much distance as he could get between him and the camp before dark. He followed the river and rode in the water when possible. He back tracked and used brush trailing behind his horse to cover their tracks. At some points he rode off the and left false trails. He did not see anyone following them except the six braves sent by Raging Bear. They kept to the side while staying a good distance away. They would follow along for a day or two then return back to camp. If there were a camp to return to by then.

They only stopped for short periods to rest the horses. The sooner they were out of this region the safer they would be. As much as he dreaded it he had to return to his mother's people. This region not only had renegade bands of Indians who killed and stole from everyone but there were still bands of men who refused to give up on the war even when there leaders were killed or imprisoned. The white outlaws ran in this region also. There would be no safety until they knocked on the front door of White Eagle's home. Even then safety was not a certainty.

Lone Wolf began to speak in English to the young woman he began to think of as Katherine. They had little time to prepare her for the return to her old way of life.

Their escorts had returned back to camp late in the evening at the end of the second day. In the early afternoon of the third day they saw a band of white men. There were only about six or seven. As Lone Wolf and his charges were drinking from the clear water of a creek the men approached. The men hadn't seen Lone Wolf until they were right in front of him. Lone Wolf cursed his carelessness. He had his knife and his tomahawk was fixed to the leather of his buckskins. He could take three maybe four but that still left two.

The men looked on. They glanced around as if to reassure themselves there were no other Indians in hiding. The one who seemed to be the leader told the others to dismount and slowly get down and drink.

Lone Wolf stood up straight and tall. He showed no fear. To the men looking at him he seemed a formidable foe. Not one they wished to trade insults with.

Lone Wolf spoke in his own language to Katherine. "If I have to I can get the four on the right of me. Could you take out the other two Katherine?"

Katherine judged the distance. She was accurate with a knife within twenty to thirty feet. These men were around twenty feet across the creek.

"Yes I can take out the shorter one with my knife from my waist and the taller one with the knife from my moccasin. Give me a warning so I can drop down and roll after I kill the first one. That will give me time to get the second one."

The leader of the white men began to speak.

"Don't know if'n you speak our tongue but if'n ya' do we mean no harm. We'll just wet our whistle a might and then mossie on our way. My name is Younger. Colt Younger. These are two of my brothers, Jim and Rob. This here's Jesse and Frank James. We mean no harm. Why we're right friendly folks. Ain't that right boys?"

"Yep," said both Younger brothers in unison.

"That's the God's honest truth," said Jesse.

"Church on Sunday's our second home. We'd be much obliged if'n you could see your way clear to share the waterin' hole. I ain't been able ta spit for quite a spell," said Frank.

"See? Just water we're after. We just want water. Ain't had no water for the best part of the day. We go our way you go yours. Everybody gets what they want. No harm done. Now we're going to get down and get that drink now."

"Damn Colt. You see that pretty blond thing? What's a good looker like her doing with a redskin? Ain't right. Those two squaws ain't mules either."

"Keep your mind north of your belly Jim. Take a good look at that woman again. She's pure squaw. She'd gut you before you got your drawers down and be wearing your hair on her belt. Dependin' how mean she is she might just take your pecker ta boot. We want water and nothin' more. We ain't got time to waste on fucking every young thing you set your sights on. I thought you was spoke for anyways. Don't matter no ways we have a date with a bank full of money."

"I'm spoke for but not dead and buried yet. A little piece now and agin' don't do no harm. It seems a little unfair him havin' three good lookin' women. Bet they'd like to have a man who could give 'em a good hump. One man ain't goin' to keep three women happy in the sack. Why, I'd be doin' them a favor. Won't take more'n a couple God damn minutes."

"Your woman know your short comins'? Takes at least five minutes if you do it proper." The others laughed at his joke at his brothers expense.

"I said no an I mean no. You make one move to drop your drawers and I swear I'll shoot your pecker off myself. At this range I sure as hell won't miss."

Frank was bending down beside his brother to get a drink as he spoke, "Jesse remind me again why we run with these morons? I should be home with Annie with my feet up enjoyin' a full belly of her fine cookin'. Here we are with these sorry asses."

"You think I wouldn't rather be with Zerelda? Hell Frank you're my brother an' all but I sure as hell would rather be with my wife than a bunch of stinkin' foul mouthed men. If it wasn't for the money I'd be messin' up the sheets with my warm blooded wife and not goin' to sleep smellin' like a God damned horse and sleepin' beside men who stink worse than a ten day old dead skunk."

Katherine and Lone Wolf understood every word the men spoke. It seemed like they only wanted water. At least most of them did, but Lone Wolf told her quietly to stay ready. His knife was already in his hand hidden behind his wrist with his fingers curled around the butt of the knife. In less than a blink of an eye he could take the life of the first man. Katherine under the guise of getting the water pouches from the pack horse took her knife from her waist and held it hidden in the palm of her hand with the blade at her wrist in the same manner as Lone Wolf. Misty sensing the tension whickered nervously. Katherine quietly reassured her.

Drinking their fill from creek they began filling their canteens. The men mounted and the two named Jesse and Frank tipped their hats to the women as they road away. Lone Wolf let out a stream of curses in the language of the white man.

"That can not happen again. It could have ended badly. I should have stayed on watch. I have let my guard down too much. Returning to the white world is making me careless. I have become too comfortable traveling with women. Thinking of your return to your father reminded me I have not seen my mother since I was a young boy. With my selfish thoughts I put us all in danger. I am sorry Katherine and I promise it will not happen again." Anger coated each word he spoke. She knew it was not anger at her, but anger toward himself.

"No one was hurt. Not one shot fired or one knife thrown. Any day without bloodshed is a good day. Let us just be thankful and move on. You have nothing to hold against yourself. It is only natural to wonder about your mother. You wish to see her do you not?"

"My wishes are not important. Returning you to your home and then finding a safe place for Fawn and White Dove are the path I shall tread. I gave my word I would only let death stop me. Only death is an honorable excuse for failure." Lone Wolf had an eerie feeling as he spoke of death. He prayed to the spirits it was not a bad omen for the future.

"Lone Wolf I wish for you to stay with me. You are the brother I never had. Fawn is like my sister. I do not know White Dove as well but we have become friendly during our travels. Stay until you feel you can not be happy with me at my home. I will not think badly of you if you wish to leave. I will wish you well and send you on your way with as many provisions as you can carry."

"I will give it much thought. Let us speak no more of this. Fill the water skins. We will travel until dark then rest for a few hours. We have lost too much time avoiding soldiers and wagon trains." Katherine knew those were the last words Lone Wolf would speak of the incident or what she had asked of him. The women filled the skins and made sure the horses drank. Having completed these tasks they climbed back on their horses and started their journey again. The short rest had refreshed not only the horses but the riders as well. They made no more stops during the day. As they rode along they ate the dried meat from the pack containing their provisions.

No more was said about the meeting with the white men. Lone Wolf slept very little. He had learned long ago how to sleep when riding. Many nights he had slept as his horse traveled through the night. Travel at night was much safer if one were alone. The Indian ponies were used to traveling at night and did not spook as easily as the white men's horses. The white men were creatures of habit. Sleep at night then travel during the day. If they weren't so sure their way was always right they would have listened to the Indian scouts who aided them in tracking renegades. By the time they woke and were ready to move on whatever tribe they were tracking had long since moved to another location. The Indian ways were slowly being learned by the white man. Settlers and the government hounded the military to end the Indian Wars. The move west was on the rise. More and more men and women wanted to start in a new territory. Free land was being given to homesteaders. All a person had to do was live on the land and make improvements. They could lay claim to all they could maintain. These people who came to lay claim to the land did not consider that their were people there before them. The Indian did not believe in ownership of the land. Mother Earth owned all around them. They were just the recipients of her bounty.

The Indian was given little or nothing in exchange for their lands where their ancestors had lived for thousands of years. Rounded up and moved to lands less hospitable they became a displaced people. The old ones died from the heart ache of losing their freedom and their homes. Many of the young died from disease. The young men died in battle. Starvation killed many more. The amount of food did not equal the amount of mouths to be fed.

It seemed as if every day they came across evidence of the white man's move further into what had been prairies and vast grasslands overrun with buffalo and elk. The great herds were no more. If one knew where to look a few small herds could be found. The wild horse herds were even being thinned out. Cattle ranchers wanted land for their cattle herds. Farmers wanted the land to grow crops. In the land where gold had been discovered that was the prize the white man sought. The iron tracks were stretching further into the west. The humming wires were being put up so they could send messages to one another quickly. The pony express was long gone. With the wires and the tracks messages could be sent much faster than by horse and rider. Where once they could travel for days and not see another soul now they had to hide from wagon trains heading west. Homesteads were popping up everywhere. The white man's spread across the land was growing in number. The only things growing less in number were the animals and the Indians.

Winds of change had been blowing across the land since the first white man had stepped foot on this vast untamed land. Covetous eyes were cast on what once had been land roamed by the Indian tribes who had lived here for thousands of years. Katherine had to struggle with the half of her that belonged to that other life while trying to shed the half of her that had become a big part of who she was now. For the most part she only thought of herself as White Eagle. Very seldom did she think of that little girl from long ago known as Katherine Montgomery. Could both halves come together in harmony? Would one dominate the other?


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-two**

**Night of Revelations**

The evenings were cold after the sun sank below the horizon. They slept on cured hides and covered with woven wool blankets. The only thing separating them from the glorious starlit sky were those warm blankets. It seemed to Katherine if she stretched out her hand she could feel the darkened sky and grab a star in her hand. This feeling she would miss on her return. This freedom of the open spaces. The calls in the late night of owls swooshing down on their prey. The howl of the lonely wolf. The whisper of long forgotten conversations in the wind. A gentle breeze swept across her face. She could not remember anything from her life before that smelled as fresh as the outdoors.

That night Katherine sang a song of spirits that rode the wind. Proud warriors killed in battle who were in the heavens in the form of stars. Her voice carried on the wind soothing even the creatures prowling the dark shrouded grasslands. Lone Wolf let her sing this night. He had seen no one within a mile of camp. Her voice soothed and calmed him. As they got further into civilization they would need to be more careful. Even fires at night would prove to be a danger. They had their hides to keep warm.

They ate the dried venison and buffalo they had brought with them. It would last perhaps a month if they were careful.

At first light they packed everything then began the trek to find Katherine's home again. Lone wolf could sense danger but could see nothing. He made more trips scouting back the way they had come. He found nothing to give him this feeling of unease.

The days journey was uneventful. Lone Wolf kept a vigilant watch over his three charges. He slept little. They ate dried meat as they rode. Lone Wolf wanted out of what the white man called the badlands. There were too many bands of renegade white raiders and outlaws. He would rest when he safely delivered Katherine to the arms of her father. With each new day his unease grew.

Lone Wolf was growing anxious. It had been almost a month. They had to go miles out of their way just to avoid running into soldiers or the hundreds of settlers traveling westward. His mind was filled with thoughts of what had happened to his people in the battle that surely had been fought by now. Who had survived? Had anyone survived?

A month after they left camp Katherine was closer to home than she had been in eight years. Within a few days they would be close to a fort Lone Wolf remembered in this area. He would take Katherine there. He would leave White Dove and Fawn in the woods to wait for his return. He could only hope the one in charge of this fort was a man of honor. He had rejected the idea of simply allowing Katherine to ride to the front gates of the fort. He would do as he promised. He would return Katherine personally to her people. If he must die then so be it.

It was a little over a month since they began their journey. The supplies they had brought ran out a few days ago. Lone Wolf and Katherine had to hunt so they could eat. This caused further delay. Just before the sun went down Lone Wolf had left Katherine, White Dove and Fawn hidden among the rocky hillside while he hunted. Katherine had wanted to hunt. Lone Wolf thought it better for her to stay with the other two women as neither one was proficient with a bow or knife.

Night was upon them again. They stopped to make camp for the night. No one had spoken much in the last few days. They all knew their thoughts were with those left behind. White Dove and Fawn prepared the meal while Lone Wolf and Katherine had checked the surrounding area. They found nothing close by. Lone Wolf would make a circuit furher out later.

After eating then helping to clear away the remains to bury to hide the evidence they had been here Katherine left Fawn and White Dove to ready their beds for the night. She was restless. Knowing she could not sleep she went to the fire where Lone Wolf was sitting deep in thought.

Lone Wolf had deemed it safe to have a fire the last few nights as the glow from campfires was a common sight this close to ranches and homesteads where people slept our in the open to tend to their herds. Especially during roundup or branding seasons. Sitting down beside Lone Wolf as he poked at the fire Katherine wondered if tomorrrow would be her last day as White Eagle. Already Lone Wolf was trying to remmeber to call her by her Christian name. He asked Fawn and White Dove to do the same. After nine years it was hard to think of her as Katherine. Lone Wolf was the only one who had ever known the name she had as a white woman.

"I am almost home Lone Wolf. Eight long years and I am finally going home. I do want to see my father as well as others I once knew. I feel frightened more in this moment than at any other time in my life. I want to go forward just as I want to get on Misty then head back to camp. I have a fear inside I have never felt before. Why is that Lone Wolf?"

"The unknown. Time and distance change things. Once you belonged here but now you are unsure of your place. I felt the same in my mothers world as well as my father's. I did not belong in either world until I made a place for me. It will take time. The old feelings will return. Soon life with us will be your faded memory and this will be your new life. I am sure you will be welcomed back with loving arms. Your father will be glad for the return of his daughter. Perhaps while I am in this white world I will seek out my mother. It has been too long to hold old grudges and resentment."

"Lone Wolf you have never spoken of your mother. I have never asked about that part of your life. Would you tell me now?"

"My mother Charlotte Armbruster is the daughter of a wealthy family in Virginia. I do not know where her sense of service to those who have less came from, but she came west one year to vistit her friend who's husband ran a trading post. My father had gone to trade some furs for supplies. That was a time when we still traded in friendly terms with the white man."

"My mother was never one to sit back waiting to be noticed. She had been working with several Christian groups to bring the teaching of books as well as her faith to the so called savages of the plains. She had made many trips out west. She took an instant liking to my father."

"He would have nothing to do with her at first. She was persistant. They fell in love. They married in both a white man's ceremony as well as as Apache ceremony. Neither marriage was recognized by the white men or the Apache. In their hearts they were married. They lived separately from the rest of the tribe. Back then it was Raging Bears father who was chief. He thought it best if my father and mother did not live among the tribe. That way did seem to work best."

"When more hostilities broke out it was decided my mother would take me back east for a time. I was three at that time. I was less than welcomed into her family. They had not even known she had gotten married let alone had a child. My father and mother had a strange relationship. She had returned to her family many times but still had not informed them of my father or me."

"After almost two years we moved back with my father. The skirmishes between the white man and Indian were escalating."

"When I turned five my mother and father knew it was not safe for her or me to be with him. We left him one day never returning. I did not see my father again until I ran away from my mother's home the summer I turned twelve. My mother tried to teach me how to fit in. If it were only the children I could have made my way happily for many years. Unfortunately the elders filled the heads of the children with prejudices. I do not think I spent one day without fighting someone from the time I was five and started school until I ran away at twelve to return to my father. I just did not think I could spend one more day defending who I am. If I had been older maybe things would have been different. Maybe they would have been worse. I killed my first white man in battle when I was fifteen.".

"My father said I must have the instincts of the wolf to return to where it is born. He named me Lone Wolf. I found my tribe within a month of leaving my mother.We had seven years together before he was killed in battle. He had taken another woman as his wife during the time I was gone. Fawn was five by the time I returned to my father. Her mother had been killed when she was only a year old. The year I turned nineteen our father was killed. Two years later you joined us."

"What is your Christian name? I don't think you have every said nor have I heard Fawn refer to you as anything other than Lone Wolf."

"I was sure you would ask that question. All the years my father and mother were together she insisted I have an English name. He loved her enough that he allowed her this request. My mother named me Matthew Stephen Armbruster. That is the name she wrote in her bible and the name the doctor wrote on the paper confirming by birth. I was born in the back of the trading post where my mother and father met. No one has called me by my Christian name in over seventeen years. That is how long it has been since I have seen my mother."

"It must have been hard for you at times with both Fawn and I. Especially when I was less than pleased to be here. Is that why you never took a wife? I know you have had women." She shoved her shoulder against his as she contuned in a teasing manner. "Fawn and I both know you have had women. You just never kept one for long. Never brought one into your teepee. We used to spy on you when you went into the bushes guiding a young woman behind you."

As she saw his look of shock battling with embarrassment she laughed softly as she said, "Do not worry we never went all the way to the spot you ended up with whoever you were planning to bed. We were afraid to go too far. If you had not been so intent on having whatever young woman you were with we were sure you would have discovered us. I do believe at those times we could have slipped up behind you, took your scalp, then returned to bed without you being any the wiser."

"Lone Wolf how will it be for me? What will other's say? I have been gone so long. Sometimes I feel more squaw than I do the girl I once was."

Lone Wolf winced when he heard her refer to herself as a squaw. That word was an insult to the women of his tribe. To any Indian woman. White Eagle did not know this. She only knew it was how white men referred to Indian women. "Things will not be easy. White women who have been taken then returned are sometimes mistreated. There have been a few that have returned to their captors. You should not worry. This is a case of a father welcoming back his only daugther. What father would do anything other than welcome you with a loving embrace?"

"Of course you are right. I am just letting my fears grow putting ideas in my head. I suppose my father will be glad to see his only child alive and well. You promise to stay with me until I feel as if I have a place here? You won't leave? I am so different than when he last saw me. He must be different as well. Promise to stay until I am sure I am welcome. Then if you wish to see your mother I will even go with you if you wish."

"It is late we should get some rest. Tomorrow perhaps we will return you to your family. Rest tonight. At first light we will head for the fort."

"Give me your promise first Lone Wolf."

Lone Wolf sighed in resignation. So much for his intention to leave her at the fort. "I promise I will stay with you until you need me no longer."

Smiling in satisfaction she went to bed content that he would not be leaving her any time soon, if ever.

After bedding down Katherine nor the other two women could sleep. Lone Wolf was hidden somewhere keeping watch. They had nothing to fear. Before anything could reach them Lone Wolf would remove the threat before the women heard even a leaf rustle.

"White Eagle I shall miss you when we part tomorrow. Will we ever meet again do you think? You have been my sister for the last nine summers and winters. I do not know if I can bear to leave you behind." Fawn felt the tears trailing down her cheeks. She tried to cry quietly. She knew Katherine had to feel just as badly as she did.

White Dove rolled to her side to face the other two women. She spoke softly so she did not disturb any of the night creatures roaming around in the tall grass or perched on the branches of the surrounding trees. "I shall miss you as well White Eagle. If not for you my father would be mourning the loss of his only child. His daughter he has loved since the day my mother placed me in his arms he has loved me. When my mother died one year after my birth many thought his grief would take him into the land of the spirits with my mother. Luckily for me my father was stronger than that. I know it saddens you that your father seemed to stop looking for you. Perhaps he looked by himself and that is why we did not hear of anyone searching for you. I am sorry to bring up something that hurts you."

As much as Katherine wanted to believe White Dove it was hard to hold onto her beliefs now that she was on the verge of reuniting with her father.

"It does not hurt as much as it did at first. I long ago accepted he no longer searched for me. I can only think some illness or some other horrible tragedy had kept him from coming to find me in the beginning. Sometimes it is hard to make myself believe this anymore. If I was taken from you and Lone Wolf, I know he would not rest until I was safely returned. Only death would end his search for me if I were not found."

White Dove rose up onto her elbow propping herself up so she could see White Eagle's face better. She opened her mouth to tell White Eagle that if it were her father he would have searched until he took his last breath. Her eyes met Fawn's over the top of Katherine's prone body. Fawn guessing what White Dove might say shook her head. The words would only hurt White Eagle.

Changing her words White Dove said, "Yes something must have kept him from coming for you. Tomorrow you can be together again or soon after. I would like for you to know I am sorry you were taken from your people. I am not sorry to have known you."

"I have not regretted any day we have been friends either White Dove. Fawn you and Lone Wolf are like my brother and sister. If I can arrange it I wish for you all to stay with me. We can continue as a family."

They all knew this was not a certainty as many Whitemen would hate them just because of who they were. It was just the same with many of their own people.

They had not heard Lone Wolf come into camp. He was dousing the fire as he spoke, "Enough talk. Go to sleep. I can hear you half a mile away. Tomorrow you may speak as much as you wish. For tonight be quiet. There is a small detachment of soldiers about a mile south of us. If we are lucky they did not see our fire. I will spend the night scouting around to make sure no one comes to investigate. I don't think they are watching this far out but just in case be quiet. I will keep watch all night."

With nothing more to say they remained silent until sleep claimed them. For the first time in many years silent tears slide down Katherine's cheeks. She made no sound. The tears she could not stop but the pain she felt over her father's seeming abandonment she wished desperately to keep private.

Why had she not heard of any search for her. In the past years word had gotten to the tribe of others who had people searching for them. In nine years nothing. Not even a rumor. Not since the first two or three months had any mention been made of anyone enquiring about an eleven year old taken in the Arizona Territory.

One way or the other tomorrow would be their last day searching for Katherine's home. Could she fit into that life again? Could she live in a house again? So many things would have changed. Nothing would be the same. Not even Katherine had remained as she had been.


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three **

**Peaceful Surrender **

They broke camp at first light. With practiced ease they packed everything away putting everything on the two pack horses. They did not speak. There was no need. Each one knew that today may well be the last time they saw each other. If the men at the fort shot at Matthew and Katherine before he could explain his purpose they might both die. Katherine had suggested her carry some white material tied to a stick to show they came in peace. Katherine had rummaged in her leather pouch until she found the slightly yellowed petticoat she had once worn.

When she went to tear a piece from it her three companions all gasped then began to protest. She assured them she would no longer need this reminder. Besides it was only a small scrap torn from the hem of the petticoat. The undergarment was still intact other than that small missing piece. What did it matter? She was going home, was she not?

Lone Wolf had left the trail several times backtracking to make sure no one was following. This last time he came back his mouth was set in grim lines. Even though he did not move his head she could see him searching the ridge to the right and the one to the left of them. This was the perfect position to ambush someone. If someone were to place a small number of men on either ridge then trail another group of men behind whoever was in the valley would be cut off. There was no way out of the valley other than to go forward. Forward led to civilization. Fort Lee was only about ten miles up ahead. Their horses were fresh and more used to the rough terrain than most domesticated horses. That would be one advantage with ten disadvantages to tip the scales in favor of the one making the attack. About the same time she came to this conclusion she thought she saw movement on the ridge just to the north of them.

Suddenly an uneasiness overcame her. It had nothing to do with her reunion with her father. The hairs on the back of her neck were raised as well as the hair on her arms. Always this had warned her of danger. She had learned to pay heed to this warning. Casually she let her eyes scan the hillside. She didn't want to alarm anyone needlessly. She was sure Lone Wolf knew of the men on either side of them just moments before she did. Her heart stopped then beat furiously. She could see men hiding in the tall grass. On either side of them. Their horses were laid down beside them. She could not tell how many their were she just knew their were too many to fight hand to hand. She thought she recognized blue uniforms. Soldiers. Calvary. Fear rising in her she gently nudged Misty toward Lone Wolf.

"On the far ridge. Do you see them?" She spoke quietly so she did not alarm the other two women.

"I saw them not long after we started out this morning. They had been advancing slowly until the last time I doubled back. Men split off in two different directions. The wagons and heavy artillery with them they left with a small detachment a few miles back. They are the soldiers who camped near us last night. The men on the ridge to the right are part of that column of soldiers. The ones on the left spotted us by our bad luck. They are a small group scouting the area. If they had not seen us they would more than likely have returned to whatever detachment they belonged to. They have joined together with the others. I have no doubt a scout has been sent back to get the rest of the column and another to alert the detachment. They can not take the chance that we are not only stragglers. We could belong to a much larger group for all they know. Apache this far east is too unusual for them to ignore. The scouts are sure to have figured out what tribe we belong to. There are many small farms between here and where we need to go. It is just bad luck they were headed back to the fort. Fucking bad luck. Damn. Son of a bitch."

Lone Wolf's Whiteman's curses gave her the answer to the question of whether or not he thought they had any chance out of this. He never cursed unless extremely upset or angry. Never did he curse if he thought one of them would hear. If they did not shoot her thinking she was an Indian she would make it just fine once she told them who she was. The others though would not have it so easy. They would be executed if it was thought they had been part of some attack, or they would be taken prisoner and sent to a reservation. That would kill all three in a short time. Katherine hated to think what the soldiers would do to White Dove and Fawn. She had seen first hand how Indians were treated.

"I have been trying to see how many of them there are. I counted a good five or six men on either side. They must be waiting for reinforcements. The rest of the column will be here within minutes. We may not even have that long. When I give the signal let Misty have free rein. Tell White Dove to be ready. I will be with Fawn. Good luck White Eagle. If I never told you before I love you as my sister. I never have regretted having you with us I only regret we could not have met in a different life. Go with the wind little sister. I hope you do not see the flaming star today Katherine. I will do my best to blind your eyes to it when the soldiers send it." He would give his life today if it came to that point. Only his death would keep him from honoring his promise to Raging Bear.

The flaming star was said to be seen by a warrior just before he died. Each one had their own flaming star. Many of the older warriors swore fallen braves beside them in battle saw a flaming star just before they died.

Katherine wanted to tell him to take back his words. He made it sound as if they would not see each other again. That is when she knew he would not be taken alive. If it were left to him he would die to give her and the other two women a chance to make it to safety. If he could not get them away he would kill White Dove and Fawn. He would make sure Katherine was safe then continue the battle alone. He would bravely face his enemy head on. He would charge into the men killing as many as he could until he lay on the ground in a pool of his own blood. He would not stop until he saw his flaming star.

Nervously she waited for the signal. They had only moments left.There was so much she wanted to say, needed to say. It was too late now. Why did the important moments of her life hang on a matter of a few seconds? Her mother died within moments. She was taken prisoner in the flash of seconds passing. Now four lives hung in the balance resting on what happened in the next bare minutes.

Lone Wolf kneed his horse into a faster pace. Katherine and the other two women did the same. It would not be long now. She could see the riders on both sides of the ridge mounting up. Katherine felt her heartbeat take on the rhythm of the pounding of the horses hooves. As the pace increased so did her heartbeat.

Katherine let the guide lines on the two pack horses slide through her fingers. They would not need them any longer. She hoped they did not cut away until they were ready to make their move. If the horses decided to change course the soldiers would know something was not right. These were precious seconds they needed to get their mounts ready for the run of their lives. Katherine could feel the pulse beat of her heart in every nerve ending. Her nerves seemed to be laying on the top of her skin exposed to the elements. Her own sweat mingled with that of Misty's. Her leather leggings were wet and uncomfortable. It felt as if her inner thighs were chaffing. She swore she could feel every single hair on Misty's back. Each second brought them closure to the point of their headlong flight and bid to keep their freedom, save their very lives.

Looking over at Lone Wolf he nodded then let out a blood curdling war hoop. All four horses leapt forward. He would not be cowed or tamed. The fool was almost inviting them to take him. He was inching his horse away. She glanced over her shoulder. She saw several riders coming up behind them at a fast pace. The horses were all fresh so the only advantage would be to head for the ridge a little further down and hope the soldier's horses would have trouble navigating the terrain at this fast pace. One misplaced hoof could lead to disaster for both horse and rider.

Lone Wolf had the lead to Fawn's horse. He swerved to the right. In just a few minutes they could be lost in the trees at the top of the ridge. If luck were with them they would make it and be able to hide among the heavy brush and thick growth of trees. Luck had apparently decided to abandon them. As they had almost reached the tree line at the crest of the ridge they saw a line of soldiers riding toward them fanning out in a wide sweep across the top of the hill. Lone Wolf pulled up. With a look over his shoulder he cursed. He turned his horse and headed back in their original direction. There only hope now was to outrun them. They were nearing the point where civilization encroached on the land. If they reached that point there would be no escape.

The soldiers must have known the riders would not surrender. A shout was heard. A bugle sounded. Shortly after that bullets began to fly all around them. Lone Wolf felt the sting in his arm. A bullet had grazed his right arm. If he couldn't think of something soon they would be cut to pieces within a short time. They would all die including Katherine.

Just when he thought they might have gained a little ground Fawn's horse went down. He had been shot. The animal feel heavily to the ground twisting and flailing his legs trying to get to his feet. Fawn was able to kick free before being trapped under the weight of the fallen horse. Lone Wolf pulled up whipping his horse around to return to Fawn. They would have to ride double. He shouted to Katherine and White Dove not to stop. Riding back he scooped Fawn up and swung her up behind him. She almost slipped back to the ground but recovered. Grabbing on to his waist tightly she found her seat. They turned back giving the horse a kick to spur him on. Riding double the horse would tire quickly.

Carrying two riders the horse began to drop behind his stamina waning with the added weight on his back. The gap became further with each hoof beat pounding in her ears. Katherine could see they would not make it. The only hope was to surrender and hope they would allow her to plead for the lives of the other three. Making a quick decision she pulled Misty to a stop and turned her around. Not giving herself time to reconsider her decision she kicked Misty's flank. Katherine lowered herself to Misty's neck urging her on with whispered pleas in her ear. She could feel a bullet pass within an inch of her at times. She pulled up on the reins. Misty slowed to a stop. Katherine raised her hands to show she had no weapons in her hands. The soldiers were within fifty yards of her when she heard the command to halt the advancing men. The order to cease fire could be heard echoing in the valley. She estimated a hundred men surrounding her with all guns aimed squarely on her. The rest of the column had caught up to them as well as the small detachment of soldiers. Katherine felt as if she were a great warrior with so many guns aimed in her direction. One would think she were Cochise or Geronimo the amount of soldiers that held her at gun point.

Katherine was afraid to even breath. There were so many guns pointed at her she wondered if they all fired if there would be anything left of her to even bury. She would be cut to ribbons. She glanced over her shoulder. Lone Wolf had stopped. There were soldiers coming up behind him. There was no place to run.

A man in a uniform gave an order for someone named Pacer to come forward and speak to the prisoner. A man of Indian heritage came forward. He spurred his horse to come closer to Katherine. When he got within a few feet of her he pulled to a stop. He turned in his saddle and spoke to the men behind him.

"Captain Richards this is a woman. A white woman. She is young."

A man broke away from the rest. He sat tall in the saddle. He carried himself with pride. His well tailored uniform had many medals across his chest. Not a speck of dust dare cling to his shiny black boots or his pristine uniform. From what Katherine remembered a captain was an officer in the U.S. Calvary. Captain Richards moved a little closer to her than the man named Pacer. Katherine glanced over her shoulder. She saw that the others had stopped about twenty yards behind her. The soldiers that had come over the ridge now were lined up behind Lone Wolf with Fawn and White Dove behind him. The air was thick with tension. One wrong move would end with them being shot where they sat on their horses. Turning back she noticed the one called Captain Richards was only about six feet away from her. Looking him over she saw he was young and handsome. He reminded her of the soldiers in the grey uniforms of the south that had come by their home during the war.

Captain Richards put his hand to the brim of his hat and tilted his head in respect to a lady as he spoke, "Ma'am. These are not the best of circumstances to meet but it is my pleasure to meet you. I am Captain Allen Richards of the U.S. Calvary formerly with the Southern Confederacy. I am from the great state of Georgia ma'am. Do you speak English Ma'am? If not Pacer speaks a bit of most of the common dialects. I speak a little but not enough to make much sense. The markings on your horse's blankets look Apache. Begging your pardon ma'am but aren't you just a little far from the usual Apache territory?"

The man called Pacer began to speak in Apache. Katherine interrupted him before he repeated what Captain Richards had said.

"I speak and understand English. My name is Katherine Montgomery. Those three behind me were bringing me to my father. Daniel Montgomery." It felt strange to speak in English. To her surprise it did not come as easily as she had thought it might. She had to search for the words she wanted to say before she spoke.

"Ma'am I do seem to recall seeing some papers came across my desk a few years ago about a little girl being taken over eight years ago. Maybe nine years even. There were not a lot of details at that time.. The search was called off a few months later. If you would permit me I'll escort you and your companions back to Fort Lee then contact can be made with your father. We can sort all this out there. No need to be uncivilized about this."

"Give me your word as a southern gentleman and an officer that no harm will come to them. When we reach my home they will be allowed to stay with me. I will take responsibility for them."

"Well now ma'am, begging your pardon, but I do not see how that can be possible. Orders are for all stragglers to be brought in. The only Indians allowed to walk freely are the ones in the service of the army and the ones who have been taken in by white men as servants. No disrespect intended to you or your friends ma'am. Personally I would just as soon let them all go back to the plains. Unfortunately it is not up to me. So here I am with this delima. What to do with your companions?"

"They are like my family. I wish them to stay with me. They will be coming to my home with me." Katherine hoped she spoke the truth. She had no idea if he father would agree to the idea or not.

"You mean they will be servants working in your home? If they were not servants I would be obliged to turn them in. Keep them at the fort until we can decide what to do with then. Orders have been given to round up all the strays as I said before. So you understand if they work for you I am obliged to honor your claim and cannot in good conscience remove them from your service. The United States Calvary has much more important issues to pursue than investigating its loyal citizens without due cause. I am sure you could understand our concern if these companions of yours were not of the domestic variety. Begging your pardon ma'am, but it is my sworn duty to detain anyone of questionable origins. Are they your servants Ma'am?" Captain Richards was giving her the opportunity to keep her companions with her. He knew as well as she did they were not her servants. If he could lend a hand to a lady as well as spit in the eye of the damn carpetbagging Yankees he was twice blessed.

Captain Andrew Richards was a true southern gentleman. A man of honor. A former Confederate officer serving in his former enemies military. It was this or lose his family home. Serve the devil carpetbaggers or be tossed in the streets. He would not allow that to happen to his family so he served in this god-awful union army. They allowed him to keep what was rightfully his and had been in his family for well over a hundred years. His family was on their land long before Virginia was a state. Long before those God damn Yankees took hold. It was the sweat of his great-great-grandfather that cleared the land. The blood of his family staining the ground defending their home from trespassers wanting to take what was not theirs to take. If he were not a gentleman he would spit on the Yankee uniform he wore.

He nudged his horse forward so he could speak without the others hearing his whispered words, " Ma'am it would grieve me if those with you were considered family and were sent away from you. The holding pens are not the healthiest place to be. The only way to keep them with you is as your servants. This God damn Yankee army is so hell bent on ridding the face of the earth of every last redskin. Since war was declared with the Apache Nation in '71 everyone is hell bent on wiping every last one of them from memory. Pardon my manners ma'am no offence to your companions intended. If you say they are servants well who am I to dispute a lady's word? No reason in the world to take any notice of three employees of a well healed southern gentleman such as Daniel Montgomery. So if you say they are in your employ then that is the end of the matter." Captain Richards hoped his words would help guide the lady to describe her relationship with her three companions.

If that is what it took to keep them free Katherine would confess to the devil himself they were bound to her in servitude. Katherine being a smart woman said, "Yes they will be working for me and my father. They are to our...servants." She cast a pleading look over her shoulder in Lone Wolf's direction. She hoped he would not take offence at her claim that they were her servants. She hoped he would go along with her plan. This was the only way to save them.

Captain Richards looked off toward the soldiers and her three companions. He adjusted himself in the saddle making it creak in protest. Settling his hands on the pommel he glanced over his shoulder to assure himself that no would overhear him as he continued to speak, "Forgive me saying this but it might be best not to mention how close you are. The general is not a tolerant fellow. He might take offence of your regard for your companions. Ma'am if you would please call them forward and tell them to get down from their horses I would be much obliged. A quick search and we can be on our way. We have no women so this must be done by a male as distasteful as that is. I will be present to ensure nothing untoward occurs. If I did not have the audience of half the fort we could dispense with the unpleasant task before us. In a few hours we can have you back with your family." He touched the tip of his hat with his fingers in a gentlemanly manner.

The searches were conducted with as little intrusion as possible. The women were not searched as thoroughly as Lone Wolf. Captain Richard's second in command had reminded him that until reunited with her father the lady was considered suspect. She must be searched as well. Lone Wolf had stepped forward with his hand on the arm of the young man who was ready to lead her behind the makeshift screen. The screen had been made from rope tied between two saddle horns with a blanket thrown over it for privacy. Every gun instantly pointed in Lone Wolf's direction. Katherine had squeezed his hand reassuringly telling him she did not mind. She did mind tremendously but would not give anyone the satisfaction of knowing how humiliating it was to have a male poking and prodding even if he was trying to be as discrete and considerate as he could be.

The young man who was ordered to conduct the search was not even out of his teens. He felt more discomfort than the ones being searched. He was the son of an honored southern general. His honor would not allow him to disrespect any woman.White or Indian. That he was an innocent boy was the reason Captain Richards had chosen him. He would not take any unwanted liberties.

Katherine was one step closer to her old life. Whether that life would welcome her time would reveal.

Lone Wolf was leery of trusting any of them. Katherine's pleas convinced him it would be the safest way for all of them. The ride back to the fort did not take as long as Katherine had thought it would. She was closer to her home than she thought It was just sheer bad luck they had met the soldiers. Katherine's stomach felt queasy as they approached the gates leading to the inside of the fort. More soldiers could be seen as they rode through the gates. A pen could be seen holding many Indians. They were bunched in the pen like cattle ready for the slaughter. Katherine and Lone Wolf exchanged a grim look. There was nothing they could do other than share sympathy for those unfortunate men, women and children.

Captain Richards led them to a building standing in the center of the fort. Guards were posted everywhere. These next few moments would determine the rest of Katherine's life. She thought again how her life was marked in moments of time. So many important life changes marked by seconds. The blink of an eye could forever change a person's life.

General Horatio Tyler Jacobson was in command at Fort Lee. He was another refugee of the southern cause. His hatred of northern carpetbaggers was only slightly more stringent than what he felt for the Indian.

Captain Richards brought the prisoners into the generals outer office. The general's aide stood and saluted smartly upon seeing the captain. Captain Richards returned the salute with a snap of his hand to his forehead. He asked to see General Jacobson.

Once in the presence of General Jacobson things moved swiftly. A dispatch was sent to inform her father of her return. Grudingly the general agreed to allow the savages to stay with Katherine in a room provided until her father could come for her. He instructed them to stay in their room until such time as he gave permission for them to leave.

He eyed Katherine's clothing. He informed her he would provide bathing facilities for them as well as find clothing. Some of the officers had wives and children living in the fort.

In a matter of hours Katherine had been striped of any evidence she had once lived any other life than that of a daughter of a wealthy southern gentleman. Undergarments were left laying on the bed. Katherine had no idea what the corset was for. She vaguely remembered when she and Emily had wanted one.Picking it up she could not imagine why she had thought wearing one these things. could make her into a woman. It looked like some device for torture. The three women left those laying on the bed. The dresses and petticoats they willingly put on. It was easier for Fawn and White Dove if they conformed to the demands of this society.

Lone Wolf had been harder to convince. She soon made him see the logic of wearing Whiteman's clothing as long as they were living among them. The dresses were simple cotton day dresses.

An enlisted man's wife came and helped them fix their hair. Braids simply would not do unless wound around the head. They opted for their braids to be wound around their heads in a simple style. The woman was friendly which made the whole process much easier on everyone. The young woman named Jillian kept up a conversation the whole time she worked on their hair. Only Katherine understood all that was said. She spoke too quickly for Fawn or White Dove to understand her. She spoke loudly at times when she noticed their puzzled looks. Katherine wondered if she thought if she said everything louder that would make the words more clear. The problem was not with hearing the words. The woman could shout from the roof tops and still the two women would not understand much of what she said. They spoke English a little but only if the person spoke slowly and directly to them.

Feeling strange in the new garments the three women were led back into the building where the General's office was located. Katherine and her companions were shocked to see the handsome young man standing in front of them. If she did not know who Lone Wolf was she might have mistaken him for a dark Spaniard. His suit gave him the appearance of the savage encased in a thin layer of civility. A fragile barrier all the soldiers were all too aware of as they had watched him cross the compound escorted by four soldiers. Four guards for one man indicated this man was dangerous. Not only an enemy but a highly dangerous one to boot.

Lone Wolf had paid no attention to them. His concentration had been on the inner area of the fort. He mentally counted the men posted around the top of the tall wooden fence. The gates at the front were the only way in or out of the fort other than climbing the wall.

He had no reason to wish to escape just yet. He needed to be sure Katherine would be alright before he made any kind of attempt to leave with Fawn and White Dove. An unexpected urge to see his mother tugged at his heart and mind. Perhaps he had not erased all of his memories of his time spent with his mother. She had loved him fiercely. She had just not been able to watch over him from sun up to sun down. She could not control other people's prejudices or small minded opinions.

After a short debriefing which mainly consisted of the general explaining that the earliest her father could make it to the fort would be tomorrow. They would be given a place to sleep for the night. As long as no one left their accommodations things would be fine. Again Fawn and White Dove did not know what was said. They just nodded when Katherine nudged them. Lone Wolf stood in solitary splendor just behind the others surrounded by his guards. A shove in his back from a riffle butt earned the soldier a glare from Lone Wolf promising retribution given the slightest opportunity. The soldier swallowed with difficulty as Lone Wolf gave one short nod of his head. That apparently satisfied the general.

That night they were given the one empty cabin on the premises used for visiting military staff or politicians seeking to observe how the peoples hard earned money was being spent. They had started off in the beds. Around midnight one by one they had left their beds to lay before the crackling fire flickering out over the room.

That night was perhaps the last night the four of them would spend together as members of the same tribe. The morning would bring Katherine's father. Katherine's father and many changes. The struggle to reclaim her place had only just begun. All her strength she had gained in her years in captivity would aid her along this new path strewn with obstacles to challenge her as a woman and define who she was as a person.

Early morning light had just began to creep across the floorboards in the cabin when a young soldier knocked then entered. He informed then that Katherine's father had arrived. He was waiting in the General's office. They were informed that he would escort Katherine when she had dressed.

The four occupants had been waiting in silence each deep in their own thoughts. At some point they would need to discuss the current situation. They silently agreed just not yet. Things needed to unfold just a bit more before plans could be made.

After the door shut behind the young man Katherine crossed the room. Picking up her discarded dress she went into the bedroom no one had used. With no other choice she replaced the dress she had worn last night. She had grown quite a bit in nine years. Even if her father had saved anything it would not fit.

Noticing her shaking hands she sat down heavily on the bed. In a matter of minutes she would see her father. Why hadn't he come to the cabin? Why did she need to be escorted like some sort of prisoner? Was he the least bit happy she had returned? So many questions needing answers. Answers she may not be willing to accept.

Lone Wolf, Fawn and White Dove were standing by the fireplace waiting for her. Unspoken words were passed between them. Each face showing clearly what was on all their minds. Their hearts would be with her even if their bodies could not. A brief smile was all she could manage. How could she reassure them when she desperately needed someone to give her the same reassurance? She no longer felt safe or secure. She felt the eyes of everyone as she followed the soldier across what seemed miles of ground. In fact it was only a matter of a few yards. Katherine felt she was on her way to judgment rather than a reunion with her father.

Her escort opened the door motioning for her to enter first. The outer office area seemed packed with people. Only two faces out of all of them did she know well. Her father and her old nanny Mrs. Graham. Katherine called her Gamm as she could not pronounce her name when she was a toddler. The name stuck even when Katherine grew into a young girl.

The second woman she would learn later was her father's new wife, formerly Lydia Chapel. She was Katherine's stepmother. A woman Daniel Montgomery had married only three months after his wife died and Katherine disappeared. Katherine would learn later she had two daughters and a son. The oldest daughter was named Charlotte, the younger was Elizabeth. The son who had been adopted and given Daniel's last name was Andrew.

There was an older woman short in stature with brown hair streaked heavily by grey hair. Her old but still sharp as tack brown eyes glistened with tears as her eyes roamed over Katherine's face. The older woman stepped forward. With her arms outstretched toward Katherine. She hadn't taken her eyes off Katherine since she first saw her. She crossed herself as she spoke with awe, "Saints alive child is it really you?" What a miracle. Don't just stand like a gawkin' like a dead fish. Come give me a hug." She stepped forward not giving Katherine a chance to move. Katherine was enfolded in Mrs.Graham's arms. The arms held her tightly as if afraid she might disappear again. Gamm leaned back running her eyes over Katherine's face. Putting her hands on either side of her face she kissed each cheek

Katherine closed her eye tightly as old memories flooded her with warmth. This woman had been like a grandmother to her. She had been in their household from the time Katherine was born. It would seem she still worked in some capacity for her father.

Stepping as Mrs. Graham held her at arms length Katherine's glance shifted to her father. He was much the same as he had been when she was a child. His light hair was threaded with a few white hairs. Not many lines creased his face to show his fifty years. His blue eyes had grown a little colder than what she remembered. She waited expectantly for his advance to welcome her home. No such advance was forthcoming.

Mrs. Graham you recognize this young woman? Daniel questioned as his mind started working quickly to find reasons to discount her claim. Honestly she might be his daughter. She did resemble his dead wife Amelia. How could he be sure. No it was impossible. She couldn't have survived. She had been too young.

Daniel Montgomery had long ago given up on finding his daughter. With the passing of time he had no longer wanted her to return. He had heard of women who had come back after years in captivity. They were ostracized. Their families shunned by society for having them in their homes. Many had lost all claims to civil behavior. They came back savages. Besides, how could he be sure this was his daughter. It had after all been nine years. His dislike of anything threatening his standing in the community feed this lie to his mind hiding the truth in a thin veneer of doubt even. Deep within he knew the truth.

"Mrs. Graham you recognize this woman?" His own disbelief laced each word as he asked the question. Daniel had the ability to convince himself that a lie was a truth. If something did not fit in with what he wanted he simply altered facts to suit his needs. For years he had continued to garner sympathy for a dead daughter knowing with almost certainty she was alive. It simply suited his plans if she were no longer living. Especially after so many years in captivity. She was no longer his once beautiful innocent daughter.

"Oh aye. I know the young lady. The sad thing is you do not. Do you not recognize your own daughter? This is Miss Katherine as I live and breathe."

"This is preposterous. Katherine has been dead for the last nine years. How can you be sure it's her? She could be someone trying to worm her way into the family to get her hands on the family fortune."

"You know as well as I do nothing was ever determined for sure. What about that horrible man who came telling us he saw her. He assured you she was still alive. Said she told him herself who she was. You should have paid him the fifty dollars to get what information he had. She could have been home safe in her bed these past two years. If you don't believe me when I say this is Katherine just look at her face. She is the spitting image of her mother. If you must have proof I will supply it. I bathed this youn lady since the day she was born. She had a mole on her inner thigh. Not something her father shoulD look at but in these circumstances I am sure Miss Lydia would be more than happy to peruse the evidence."

"I don't need any such proof. My daughter is dead. Even if this were Katherine, not that I am admitting any such thing mind you, she would no longer be the daughter I lost. She has lived too long with the savages. Why do you think I did not pursue the man's lead when he gave it to me? If she were alive she was better off where she was. She had lived among the savages too long. How do we know she hasn't been compromised by all those savages in camp? They live like animals."

Katherine's father spoke as if he did not think she could understand every cutting word. Each doubt clearly voiced. He had no consideration for her feelings at all. It had not escaped Katherine's notice the woman who was now married to her father had stepped as far from her as possible. As if she might be harboring something contagious. She had pulled a handkerchief from her little cloth bag holding it over her nose as if to ward off some horrible odor. Katherine and her three companions had bathed last night. She was clean. Disease free.

"God should strike you dead in this spot for your words Mr. Montgomery. How could you not want your daughter back no matter how many years she had been gone or in what condition she returns? Her dear mother should haunt you for your words."

Captain Richards seeing Katherine's distress addressed the group since it seemed the general was willing to sit back while letting things unfold in front of him however they may. "Ladies, gentlemen. This is easily solved. With your permission Miss Montgomery I would like for you to accompany these two ladies to the back room where they night examine you. I give my word it will be quick with as little intrusion of your person as can be. We can have this solved in a matter of minutes then everyone can be on their way. I do genuinely apologize for this further discomfort. Please ma'am let us lay all doubt to rest. Ma'am if you would be so kind?" He held his arm out to Katherine. She placed her arm through his. He made her feel safe just as Lone Wolf did. He swept his hand toward the door leading to the general's private bathroom. Bending slightly at the waist he bade the other two women to enter the room. When they had stepped through the doorway he handed Katherine over to Mrs. Graham with a slight reassuring squeeze of his hand.

Just a few short minutes later Lydia came out confirming this young woman was indeed Miss Katherine Montgomery. She looked less than pleased to be delivering this verdict. Things went rather quickly after that until it came to Lone Wolf, Fawn and White Dove. Her father refused to have them in the same buggy let alone his home. He wanted no part of these savages. It was bad enough he would have the embarrassment of Katherine returning to be food for the gossip mongers. What would everyone say when they learned she brought three of the savages home with her. One of them a man no less. It was humiliating.

He refused to consider taking three savages to live anywhere near his home. It was bad enough he had to open his doors to Katherine. Since she was his daughter he really had no choice in the matter. There were also the legal issues to consider now that she was home. Katherine he could accept as necessary. The others could stay in the pens with the rest of the vermin.

Katherine's refusal to budge unless her companions were allowed to come with her irritated Daniel. He could not afford being a spectacle in front of listening ears. Looking around he noticed those around them pretending to be busy in the immediate area. He knew damn well they were hoping for entertainment to be discussed later with much embellishment to make things even more interesting. Right now any scandal could upset his future plans. He was right in the middle of some very delicate financial negotiations with Mr. Fontaine. There was no doubt the man would hear all about his daughter returning as well as the details concerning how she was returned. Mr. Fontaine was a man sensitive to gossip. He wore a mask for Christ's sake to hide only God knew what underneath. Daniel didn't care a plug nickle what the man looked like or his questionable social connections. Daniel needed his cash since Mrs. Graham had refused to see reason concerning Katherine's trust. Heaven only knew how he would react to the scandal of Katherine's return. The man wanted to open the door to the higher echelon of society. Daniel was the key to the door.

When Daniel had balked threatening to leave the lot of them including Mrs. Graham that woman had the nerve to remind him of the situation his mother's will had put him in. Especially now with Katherine's return. Damnable woman. He would have gotten rid of her years ago if not for his mother's shortsightedness.

Lone Wolf did not like Katherine's father one bit. The way he treated her and spoke to her made him itch to put his knife to the man's throat. The only reason he agreed to accompany them was he wanted to assure himself Katherine was made welcome giving her a safe place to live. From what he had seen so far the likelihood of that was very slim.

His other concern was Fawn's safety as well as White Dove's. He did not want them to spend any time corralled like an animal. The white man's clothes he had been forced to wear were already beginning to choke him. Fawn and White Dove seemed quite happy with their own clothing.

With so many eyes watching the drama in the middle of the fort compound Daniel was forced to agree to allow Katherine to bring the savages along with them. After all there were other ways to rid himself of an unwanted problem. For now he would concede a temporary defeat.

Katherine let White Dove ride Misty while Lone Wolf and Fawn rode Wind Runner. Katherine took her seat behind her father in the buggy. She would much rather be with the others on horseback than riding in this buggy as she felt the cold reception from her father and stepmother. The woman had not acknowledged Katherine in any way even after having searched her intimately. Katherine's cheeks burned with renewed shame. Even in the early days of her capture no one had humiliated her in that manner. All the stories she and her mother had been told before they left of Indians violating women in horrific ways had plagued her mind for the longest time until she realized physical abuse as punishment would be the only hands touching her.

Mrs. Graham sat beside her. As soon as climbed into the seat she gently took Katherine's hand giving it a gentle squeeze of encouragement or comfort. Perhaps both. Lydia sat on the front seat beside Daniel. The one hour ride home was made in silence. Each person deep in their own thoughts.

As they approached the tall majestic home Katherine's memories began to flood her mind. She had spent twelve wonderfully happy years in that house. Years with each day accumulating memories of her mother that had kept her sane in the first few years of her captivity.

Once home another struggle ensued as Daniel refused to allow Katherine's companions in the house. Mrs. Graham ignored his objections while giving the butler Jenkins instructions where to put everyone. In answer to Mr. Montgomery's threats of dismissal Mrs Graham said firmly, "Don't give me that look Mr. Montgomery. Don't bother with the threats either. We both know your mother's will states I may stay here as long as I wish. Now Katherine is home I will stay until she tells me to go."

Turning her back on him she held her hand out to Katherine, "Come little Cat. Let me show you where you will be staying until we can get Charlotte's things moved from your room." Looking over at Lone Wolf he gave an almost imperceptible nod of encouragement. Fawn and White Dove were crowded as close to him as movement would allow as they followed the man called Jenkins trailing behind Katherine and the woman who told them to call her Gamm or Mrs. Graham whichever made them the most comfortable.

Katherine stopped just at the base of the stairs. There were few changes here. As Katherine followed Mrs. Graham with a last look over her shoulder at her companions a wave of nostalgia swept over her. She remembered this foray. The long flight of stairs her mother was always telling her to walk up as a lady should. She used to slide down the bannister much to her mother and Gamm's horror.

Her mother's portrait no longer hung on the wall beside the staircase. Her father's portrait was there as well as one of her father with Lydia, two young women and a young man. She supposed those were his stepchildren. Pictures of long dead ancestors hung on the wall all the way up the staircase. Katherine could see not one picture of herself anywhere. She and her mother were noticeably absent in this gallery of family history done in oils.

Mrs. Graham talked the whole way up the stairs as a silent parade followed in her wake. Jenkins was directly behind Mrs. Graham. Lone Wolf followed behind Fawn and White Dove.

"Miss Charlotte, Miss Elizabeth and Master Andrew have been spending the last few weeks in Boston with their grandparents. It was their grandparents golden anniversary. They certainly didn't want to miss that. Not with the purse strings being held tightly clasped in the old couples hands. Greedy little twits they are."

"Mrs. Graham. You know you shouldn't speak in such a way. Even if it is true."

They shared a companionable laugh at the expense of the three absent residents of the household.

As they came to the room the two women were to spend the night Mrs. Graham asked what she was to call them. When Katherine told her their names she exclaimed, "Why how lovely. I don't believe I have ever met anyone named Fawn or White Dove. And what might this strapping young man's name be Katherine?"

"I am sorry I did not introduce you before. This is Lone Wolf. He does have a Christian name. He was named Matthew Stephen Armbruster."

"Well now I do believe I've heard of an Armbruster woman." She stopped mid step to tap her finger on her chin as she stated, " Now let me think. What was her name. Ah yes. I do believe her name was Constance Armbruster. Quite a vocal woman. Declaring the rights of individuals. Women in particular. Wonderful woman from what I hear. Might she be a relation? Well Jenkins will get you settled in the room across from these two lovely young ladies. Oh it is such a treat to have so many in the house. How long has it been since you saw your mother dear?" She did not allow Lone Wolf to answer. She continued on down the hall letting Jenkins settle them in their rooms as she told Katherine of the other three occupants of the household. She had always been a bit of a chatterbox. Firing questions then continuing on without waiting for an answer. It was a quality Katherine at a young age found amusing as well as endearing. Her mother and father found it irritating. Well more her father found it irritating. Her mother found her to be more exhausting trying to keep up with her conversation.

Katherine had been settled rather quickly in the temporary room. That night began a new life for Katherine as well as her three companions. The next few weeks were a hell on earth for everyone until one final explosion drew the lines solidly in the ground where loyalties were placed. The division broke Katherine's heart but also allowed her to come into her own as a woman. She had to learn to take the reins of her new life quickly. She found not everyone held her in contempt. One man in particular would become her close friend and confident. A friendship that would cause jealousy as well as betrayal.


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four  
Chivalry is not Dead **

Katherine awoke slowly to sunlight shining through the window panes sparkling with diamond star bursts as the sun reflected through the glass. She rolled over giving a contented stretch. It hadn't taken her long to become accustomed to the softness of a mattress beneath her. Many things they had found pleasing in this new life. Other things were harder to accept. Not everything was to her or her companion's liking. They were not penned in or bound by ropes or chains. Katherine had not been allowed off of the estate since she arrived. It had been two weeks with no lessoning in the hostilities between Katherine and her father. He still saw Matthew, Fawn and Dove as savages. She knew he would never believe anything else as he still thought of her as a savage also.

Contemplating getting out of bed then dressing after her bath reminded Katherine of one of the things she disliked particularly. That darn corset. After being tightened into one the first time, the three women had decided it was not a necessary piece of clothing. They did not wear that piece of Whiteman's torture. At the fort they had put them in there pouches.

Once the household had settled somewhat Gamm had begun to teach the three ladies things they would need to know. She tackled the personal things first. She showed them how to shave certain parts of their bodies. She claimed men preferred the smoothness of a ladies skin without the stubble. The women liked the feeling of smooth skin, they just could not see the sense of it as no man would see what they had so painstakingly shaved. Gamm said it was really more of a choice. Emily Pierce, Katherine's best friend before she was kidnapped, had told Gamm about shaving one's legs. Emily was a woman way ahead her time. She was away at the moment or she would have been knocking the doors down as well as anyone in her path to get to Katherine.

Gamm introduced them to things ladies needed in their delicate monthly cycle. These were definitely better than what they had used in camp. These items could either be made of cheese cloth stuffed with cotton, then sewing a couple of seams down the middle, or they could also be ordered through the catalog.

When it came to the corset this was where Gamm had been outvoted. Since she had been so adamant that they wear one they simply agreed, but privately removed the instruments of torture. They saw no purpose to tying a vice around them restricting movement as well as much needed breathing. It was their choice to forgo that part of being what everyone considered civilized. Katherine did not care if a man could span her waist with his hands as Gamm declared was the height of fashion at the moment. As of yet Katherine cared little for fashion. If she was covered that was all she thought should be required or considered.

The garments had resided underneath Katherine's bed for a few days before one of the maids had loosened her tongue, filling Gamm's ears with their scandalous behavior. Each day another three had been added until there were nine hidden garments. Katherine could see no harm in being able to breathe. Fawn and Dove had crossed their arms refusing to wear any other clothing other than what they had brought if it meant having to bind oneself like a prisoner. Why tighten those stupid laces until you could not draw a single bit of air into your chest? They questioned the intelligence of white women if this was what they allowed themselves to be tied into on a daily basis. Gamm had said proper ladies wore one. Katherine had asked if anyone went around checking to see if all women wore one? Was there someone in authority who controlled such things?

Gamm had spluttered a bit then reluctantly admitted that no one would know one way or the other if a woman had a corset on or not. Katherine, Fawn and Dove had removed the ones Gamm had made them put on. Triumphantly they threw them under the bed. Gamm had looked at the garments for a few seconds then looked at Katherine with a big grin.

"Miss Katherine, why I do think you have a bit of a rebel in you." Gamm stepped closer to Katherine to whisper in her ear, "Don't tell a soul but...well...I have not worn a corset for the last year or so. I was having such pain in my ribs and back. The only thing that gave me relief was taking off that confounded corset. If you don't wish to wear one there will be no more said on the matter. As you say, who will know? Don't worry about Rose. Once I let her in on our little secret she'll be over the moon. Her brittle old bones can barely stand the pressure."

Gamm sighed as she folded her hands in front of her then said, "Miss Katherine you sure will be a breath of fresh air in this old house. I just wish your mother could see what a wonderful woman you have become. Well if one believes in that sort of thing I suppose she would be looking down right this very minute with pride in her eyes."

That had been yesterday. Rose had come and apologized for going to Gamm behind her back. Katherine held no anger toward the older woman. She had meant no harm. She had only been trying to make sure the women fit in as best they could in the circumstances.

Laying on her back she let her mind drift over the last two weeks. Her father had been quite vocal in his disapproval of her choice to allow savages to live in his house, completely forgetting they had brought her home. Gamm had been just as quick to remind him who truly owned the house. Katherine sometimes thought that was part of the reason he disliked them so much, they had brought his unwanted daughter home. One who caused him embarrassment. One who brought shame to his household. Katherine had come to realize that the father she had known no longer existed or perhaps he was the same, but when she was his perfect daughter he had less reason to show this other side of him.

.It had not sunk in until much later that Katherine had inherited the whole estate as well as a considerable amount of money and other property. Gamm had told her the trust that had at one time been around thirty million dollars. Over the years it had grown into around forty million with careful investment. Katherine had only been a child when she was taken. She had had a concept that money was needed to buy things one needed but the true value was a mystery. The number forty didn't seem such a large number to her. In her mind she was using objects to gauge the number not the value or what it could buy.

Gamm had only used what money was needed to maintain the estate. She was so sure Katherine would return one day. Gamm had wanted her to return having her inheritance intact. Not once in the last eight years had she allowed Katherine's father to lay his hands on her money. Which had more than likely led to his financial difficulties he was suffering as of late.

After a few days of insults Lone Wolf had removed himself voluntarily to the stables. He claimed he would have better companions than the man with lies in his eyes or his wife of many stinging tongues. Fawn and White Dove worked in the kitchen helping Mrs. Fletcher prepare meals as well as helping to clean the kitchen. They also helped with the laundry.

Katherine had objected to this. They were her friends not servants. Mrs. Graham had convinced her no harm would come to them. They would only benefit from working in the kitchen with Gertrude. They would learn more English since Gertrude loved to talk about anything under the sun to anyone who had two ears. They would also pick up skills that would help them adapt to this new world they found themselves in. There was the added benefit in that it kept them away from Lydia and Daniel' barbs.

When Katherine asked Lone Wolf if he really wanted to sleep and work in the stables he had assured her he liked working with animals. He loved horses. He had an affinity with them. He had never met one he did not like or could not tame. He could not say the same about people.

The women were given clothing to replace the dresses they arrived in. The borrowed garments were sent by courier back to the fort, with a letter of gratitude for the kindness they had shown Katherine. Mrs. Graham had painstakingly shown Katherine all the letters she had temporarily forgotten. She had not held a pen to write in a little over eight years. She even had trouble holding the pen. She practiced with a pencil first. After a few hours of frustratingly copying what Gamm had written Katherine had finally successfully mastered her letters, not only in printing, but writing as well. She had remembered how to do it, she had just had trouble getting the message from her mind to her hand.

Gamm said they had enough dresses until they could purchase more. Each time Katherine asked her father when she could go to town he had given one excuse after another. When he could think of no more, he flatly told her she could not be seen until she lost her savage look. At her questioning look he had flicked his finger against her dark skin. He picked up her hands looking at the calluses roughening her palms. He tore the ribbons she had tied to the bottom of her braids. Throwing the ribbons aside he had stalked away.

He had left her in the middle of the library wanting to cry. Sheer willpower kept the tears at bay. She had been trying so hard. She only spoke English. She pinned her hair up so tight it gave her headaches, which was why today she had worn her familiar braids, even though Gamm had said it was not proper for grown women to wear them. Whatever he asked of her she did willingly hoping to win one word of approval. She even allowed him to speak ill of her friends. He belittled them whenever he got the chance. Katherine allowed Lydia to speak to her as if she were one of the servants. Katherine had even offered to move into another room. One no one else wanted.

The final explosion came when Lydia's children came home. Everything was tense, but tolerable until dinner. Katherine had made it a practice for Matthew, Fawn and Dove to eat their meals with her. Daniel had taken his meals on a tray in his room with Lydia.

Matthew had not wanted to sit at the table with this pit of rattlers, but he knew they would surround Katherine and quite possibly provoke Fawn and Dove into some sort of attack.

It had been made clear that no one wanted to sit next to Katherine's guests. Katherine's cheeks burned at the not so quiet, snide remarks that had been made. One particularly hurtful remark about Katherine's mother in reference to the kind of daughter she had raised had raised Katherine's fighting spirit.. Lydia questioned Katherine's morals as well as her mother's. Katherine would not stand for anyone to say one word against her mother. They could call her the camp whore, whatever that meant. They could call her an uncivilized savage. Katherine could even tolerate them passing judgment on her friends before they knew them personally. She would not let anyone belittle her mother. Nor would she let them besmirch her name or question her morals.

Katherine threw her fork across the room. She unconsciously grabbed her knife and held it in her hand. She slammed her hands down on the table in anger shouting, "What is wrong with you people? What have we done to make you dislike us so much. If you are a sample of the type of people we will meet perhaps it was a mistake to come back. You think I am a savage? Let me show you what a savage can do. Taking the knife in her hand she threw it across the table just over Lydia's head. The knife passed so closely to her Lydia thought for sure it would bury deep in her skull. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the knife came to rest in a portrait that hung on dining room wall. The portrait was of Katherine's father and Lydia. The knife was stuck dead center in the forehead of the likeness of Lydia.

"Good God! Katherine. You are a squaw after all. There is no doubt now. Perhaps you are correct Katherine when you say yo should go back. Especially after this little display." Daniel waved his hand toward the portrait for emphasis. "You might be happier back in the wild. Think of all the humiliation you will have to face. Think of me, of your family."

Katherine stared with unbelieving eyes. Her father did not have two cents worth of consideration for her. He was worried about his reputation and what all his acquaintances will say. As for family, none of these people were her family, thank God. Matthew, Fawn and Dove were her family. Gamm fit in there somewhere.

With a hard warning glare Katherine stood then looked from one to the other of the five people Katherine thought of as her enemies. It pained her that she had to include her father. The pain was lessoning with each new stab he made to her heart. Soon he would have no place there at all. "I warn you, say not one more word against my mother. If you do perhaps you will learn just how savage I can become. Believe me this is nothing compared to what I am capable of." Katherine picked up her napkin to wipe her face and hands as if she could wipe away the distasteful scene from her hands and her mind. Throwing down her napkin she had clenched in her hand she said, "Now if you will excuse me I am suddenly unable to eat one bite."

Katherine passed Mrs. Gamm who was on her way in to inquire if anyone would be having coffee and cake in the parlor later.Spinning back around she called after Katherine as she all but ran past Mrs. Graham as she left the dining room, "Katherine, what in the world is wrong child?" She turned back into the dining room when Katherine continued up the stairs.

"What the devil have you gone and done now Daniel?" Mrs. Graham fisted her hands where she brought them to rest on her hips. She was just about fed up with all the shenanigans that had been going on around here.

Matthew, Fawn, and Dove rose from the table without one word. If they stayed someone might lose their scalp tonight. Fawn and Dove did not understand all the words that had been said. It did not take a person of great intelligence to know her family had hurt her in some horrible way. Matthew knew what had been said. His grim face showed all the anger he held inside, barely contained. If they thought Katherine was fierce, they should see Matthew when he faced an enemy.

Once they left the others began to air their grievances.

Andrew was on the verge of becoming engaged to a prominent senator's daughter. A hint of scandal could ruin his chances with her. A senator seeking re-election would not be pleased to be mixed up with anything remotely connected to any scandal, especially any concerning Indians as there was a war being waged against the savages. Charlotte was furious about being moved to another smaller room One she had to share a bathroom with the room next to hers. Elizabeth almost fainted when she contemplated what her friends would have to say. Why she wouldn't be able to hold her head up in public for the rest of her life. The very idea of savages living in her home.

Mrs. Graham was quick to point out that legally it was Katherine's home. She could have anyone she liked living in her home. She had pointedly informed them she could also ask unwanted guests to leave as well.

Lydia had given Daniel an ultimatum. Either Katherine and her heathen consorts were thrown out or she and her children would be leaving to return to her family in Boston. Perhaps she hadn't heard Mrs. Graham's statement before or preferred to ignore it. Regardless, Daniel had stated he could not force his daughter out. She owned the estate. He asked her to be reasonable. Mrs. Graham was of the opinion she didn't have a reasonable bone in her body. There was barely room for half the brain she possessed.

This rift in both families caused an outburst that resulted in Katherine's present situation. One she could not say she was all that dissatisfied with.

Lydia and her children had packed their bags leaving first thing the following morning. Lydia had told her husband when and if he came to his senses she would be with her family in Boston. They had no savages in their household. When he grew tired of the riff raff he knew where he could find her.

Katherine's father had moved into the guest house at the far end of the garden. Far enough away to give everyone privacy but close enough should they have the urge to visit. Katherine would not hold her breath for that event to occur. Her father had decided to stay in Virginia. At least for the time being. Before Katherine could fool herself it was for her benefit he stayed, Daniel had disabused her of any such notion.

Her father was in the middle of some delicate negotiations with Mr. Erik Fontaine. Mr. Fontaine was considering investing in the The Virginia Royal Theatre to which Daniel held sole ownership. At least that was how he had represented it to the gentleman in question. It had been losing money this last year. Actually Daniel had to take funds from the profits of the theatre which was the cause of the strain on the budget. He needed to reinvest in it but he had been in need of the funds to cover a loan at the bank. He had initially borrowed money to finance the trip to England last year that Lydia had wanted so badly. The loan he had taken out on his warehouses had been sold and was being called in to be repaid immediately.

He robbed from one hand to fill another. Soon the the slow trickle of funds would cease altogether. Daniel had a suspicion Mr. Fontaine was behind the purchase of his loan. The man was forcing him slowly into bankruptcy so he would sell him all of his interest in the theatre. Daniel had led the man to believe he would be purchasing shares that were legitimately transferred. It was Daniel's hope to sell the shares tomorrow. Once he had the money in his hand he could pay off those loans and have a bit extra for expenses. He'd worry about Mr. Fontaine and the illegal selling of Katherine's shares later.

Mrs. Graham was a fount of information. Since she had taken responsiblity for Katherine's money she thought she should make it her business to know all there was to know about her finances and holdings. Not the day to day things, but the monthly reports of gains and losses. It was a little harder to watch what went on with the things in which Katherine and Daniel had shared interests Daniel had control of them until Katherine officially retook control. There was no telling what state that man had gotten into with little or no supervision. She had always thanked Katherine's female members of her family for there forethought. Daniel could not touch the base capital of Katherine's wealth.

Today Katherine had decided would be her day to go into town on her own. She would have to make the trip some time. She would visit several dress shops Gamm told her about. Perhaps she would have lunch at a restaurant or even the hotel. Gamm had given her the information she would need to take to the lawyers so she could have access to her accounts. Her father with much prodding from Gamm had said he would visit the lawyers informing them of Katherine's return. Mrs. Graham never had trusted those lawyers. They were far too friendly with Mr. Montgomery.

This further complicated his financial situation as now he could not use her inheritance as collateral when seeking loans from outside sources. Everyone assumed he had access to the funds should they be required. It was just good business sense to us the money of others if one could. When the truth of his financial status came out he may well be ruined unless he could close the deal with Fontaine before everything came out in the open.

Katherine had made the decision to go by the office of her father as well. Since her name was on the deeds to all he owned along with his own that made her an equal partner. In debt as well as profit. She knew nothing about business but was more than willing to learn.

Throwing the covers aside Katherine went to draw her bath. Gamm had told her a maid would do that for her every morning as well as bring her a breakfast tray if she wished. Katherine could see no reason not to do things for herself. Gamm told her that was how it was done when one had money to indulge in such things. Katherine preferred to draw her own bath. She enjoyed eating her breakfast with Fawn and White Dove in the kitchen. Lone Wolf would join them when they were almost finished. He had to care for the horses before he fed himself.

Lone Wolf had cut his hair. The change was astonishing. With his plain shirts and dark work trousers he could have been just any man working to earn a living. Unless one knew he had only just come from the encampment of his Indian brothers no one would have guessed. His light grey eyes surrounded by his dark skin combined with his black hair was an attractive combination. The fact that his body was well muscled over all of his six foot four inch frame had even the maids sighing when they caught sight of him. Gamm had even caught herself fanning her cheeks one day when she had taken him a pitcher of lemonade. He had removed his shirt. From that day on whenever he came into her sight her old heart kicked up a faster rhythm. He was one fine specimen of manhood to be sure was the general consensus. Indian or white he was one fine looking man.

Katherine finished her bath then dressed in the plain cotton gown. The petticoat underneath along with the pantalets had taken some getting used to as Katherine had not worn any undergarments for almost eight years. Her own she had grown out of after only a year or so. All these layers of clothing seemed pointless when the weather was so warm. Gamm had assured her they were necessary. To prove her point she had picked up the hem of Katherine's dress allowing the sun's light to shine through. She had declared a lady did not advertise all she hid under her skirts. That was for her and her husband's eyes alone. The garment that bound her breasts Katherine, as well as the other two women saw the sense in its use. Gamm had told them the garment was becoming more popular especially as it was being touted as the ideal thing to keep what was up top from falling to ones knees over time. Katherine, Fawn and Dove had shared a look. They all remembered seeing the older women during the communal bathing. They each grabbed a garment holding it to their chests. This garment they would be using as well as the petticoat. The pantalets they decided were of some use as well. They liked the silky softness against their skin.

Katherine had wanted Fawn and Dove to come with her but Gamm had explained it would not be advisable for them to go to town until fitting clothing could be bought as well as the problem of not speaking English very well. Everyone on the estate with the exception of Katherine's family had accepted the three outsiders readily enough. Once Lone Wolf had proven his worth in the stables he was accepted. The fact that the three so called savages had not slit their throats or taken their hair as they slept helped convince everyone they were safe.

While Fawn and Dove learned how to write, read as well as speak English, Katherine studied newspapers along with reading the dictionary. Gamm assigned her five words every week to learn the meaning and how to use them in sentences. After not speaking any English she had been a bit rusty. So many words she never even learned since she had only been twelve at the time her education had ended.

Gamm had even begun to teach her about her finances. She showed her the financial pages from the lawyers concerning her estate and properties she owned in conjunction with her father. In fact she owned fifty percent of all the businesses. A fact her father had been all to eager to forget once he had convinced everyone Katherine was dead. With her out of the way he controlled one hundred percent of what took place in the business if not the money. He took profits out of the businesses that the businesses could not sustain any longer.

Hours later Katherine was now standing outside the third dress shop debating if she had any pride left that would allow her go in asking for service. The first she had been refused any service once they learned who she was. She had been asked to leave. They did not cater to savages or the squaws of savages. With her cheeks stinging in humiliation Katherine left. It angered her that she could face the most dangerous animal or man, but could not face those women insulting her. They had made her feel less than clean. Tainted in some way. She felt shamed by her weakness as well as by what they had said. Since reentering this white world all her confidence in herself seemed to have deserted her.

She had returned to the carriage asking her driver to take her to another shop. This shop let her in. They even went so far as to take her measurements then finding a ready made dress to slip over her head for a fitting. The whispers she heard among the shop workers drifted to her ear as she stood patiently waiting as a young woman hemmed the dress. She stood on a pedestal as a girl with pins in her mouth pinned the hem of the gown she had on. Her cheeks began to burn. If she heard the whispers so did everyone else in the shop. Customers outside the cubicle Katherine occupied began to whisper, threatening to leave the shop never to return if they continued to serve that squaw woman. Hadn't they heard of all the raids? The people killed? Katherine felt as if all eyes were looking at her in accusation. As if she personally had raided every home. Killed every person.

"Do you know who that is? It was in the papers a few weeks ago. Everyone is still talking about it. That's Katherine Montgomery. Lived with the savages for eight years. You know what happens to white women in those camps. They become the camp," here she paused to lowered her voice as if saying it in a lower tone made it less hurtful or improper, " well I've heard they become the camp whores."

Katherine didn't know what a whore was but the way it was spit out it was not a compliment. Lydia had called her that name as well. She had meant to ask Gamm what that word meant.

"Are you sure it is her Anne? If it is, can you believe how brazen she is? Coming in here as if she were a proper lady. And did you notice? No corset. The very idea. Well I suppose she does have money to pay. Good Lord you don't think she'll try to pay in animal hides do you Anne?"

"Oh my. I never thought of that. Should we tell Mrs. Dexter? Perhaps she doesn't know who she is going to be making dresses for?"

The two ladies scuttled to the back of the shop whispering frantically to the third person behind the curtain. An older woman jerked the curtain aside entering the cubicle. The woman walked regally up to Katherine. Sniffing in contempt she stated, "I must ask you to leave my shop. If I had known who you were we could have avoided this embarrassing moment. My shop is for genteel ladies. We do not cater to the coarse ladies of the red light district or any other unsavory sort."

Walking over to the counter she pulled a pad toward her writing down an address. It was a shop that made dresses for the ladies who worked in the gentlemen's clubs. She handed it to Katherine making sure her fingers did not touch Katherine's as she handed her the paper. "This shop will be willing to serve you. They serve anyone. They are not as discerning as other's. I suppose you must keep the gown you have on now. Who would want it now after you have worn it.? Anne, Margaret fetch her things. The sooner she is out of here the better."

When Anne shoved her dress into her hands along with the small purse she asked in a voice choked with tears, "How much do I owe? I do have money. I won't be paying in animal hides." Katherine hated the weakness she heard in her voice. She tried to reassure herself she had done nothing wrong. She had a right to be here like anyone else.

Katherine threw a wade of bills on the counter without even counting them. She had practically run out of the shop carrying the dress she had worn to town because she now wore a dress that was stuck full of pins.

The young ladies had the grace to look just a little uncomfortable. Not much but enough to give Katherine a little of her pride back. Paying for the half hemmed gown Katherine took her things leaving with her head and shoulders only slightly lowered. Returning to her carriage she gave her driver Martin the paper with the address written down. His face turned a bright shade of pink as he shuffled his feet standing on the paved sidewalk.

"Begging your pardon Miss Katherine but are you quite certain you wish to patronize this uh...this establishment? It is not the usual place for proper young ladies. That is to say a certain type of woman frequents this shop. Not that I would know personally. It is only what I hear you understand," he was quick to make that point clear.

"What is wrong with it? Don't they make good gowns? The woman in the shop gave me this address. She said they would make me dresses. Please tell me why I should not do this?"

Martin was cussing under his breath. Damn harpies. Mrs. Graham knew this would happen. Everyone tried to persuade her not to let Miss Katherine go out on her own. Sure Miss Katherine needs to learn her way about as well as how to handle herself against all the small minded people but not on her first trip to town.

Martin tugged at his ear as his feet continued to shuffle back and forth. He removed his cap to run his hand over his balding head. This woman before him he had known for twelve years. He was the one who drove Mister Daniel home the night Miss Amelia went into labor. He had grieved with everyone else when they had found Miss Amelia's body without one trace of Miss Katherine anywhere. He was the one who had placed her in her first saddle when she was four years old.

Damn he'd rather be taking a beating than escorting Miss Katherine around watching as all these fine upstanding citizens picked her apart a piece at a time. For two bits he'd go back in there and give all those fine ladies a good tongue lashing. Hell he'd do it for free. Damn vicious, poison tongued harpies. What right do they have to judge Miss Katherine or anyone else?

Being as delicate in his wording as he could using words he thought she could understand he tried to give her one of her first life lessons since her return. At least one dealing with those outside the estate. He must have succeeded in his explanation because her head dipped avoiding looking into his eyes. Her cheeks colored a becoming shade of pink. She mumbled for him to drive her to yet another dress shop. So he had taken her to this third establishment. She had left this shop not even willing to face Martin just yet.

The ladies in this shop ridiculed her mercilessly. Some of the names they had called her she did not even know the meaning of. It was a good thing Martin had told her what a "whore" was, or at least a watered down version. She had been called by that term so many times the last few days she could mistake it for a term of affection if the people calling her this did have such hatred and contempt in their eyes. It had been eight years since she had used the English language. She had matured over the years she had been gone but an Indian woman was not the same as a white woman. The basic needs and wants were the same. It was their lives daily functions that were different. The clothes, entertainment, what they ate, where they slept, what was considered important to know for one was frivolous to the other. She was lost between two worlds. She had no foot solidly placed in either world. Her knowledge of this white world was what she had known as a twelve year old girl. Now she was a twenty-one year old woman who had no idea how to function in this world. While her knowledge of this world had stopped at twelve the world had continued on. Everything had changed so much. There were so many people. So many new businesses. So many rules. So little tolerance.

As she leaned against the wall with tears of hurt along with those shed in anger she felt a light touch on her shoulder. A soft kind voice asked her something in a language she did not recognize but sounded soothing to her ears. Hastily wiping her eyes she stood up straight. All she needed now was for someone to come along catching her bawling her eyes out over mere words tossed at her to inflict pain. She could just hear her father now berating her again for embarrassing him yet again, only this time in public.

"Mademoiselle? I am sorry, Miss. I forget sometimes I am no longer in France. Not everyone speaks French. Is there something wrong? Something you need assistance with? I would be honored to offer my services to such a charming young lady."

Katherine turned to face the kind stranger. He was much taller than she was. His hair was almost as light as her own. He had blue eyes. A dark fathomless blue, with a hint of softness in them as his eyes took in her tear streaked face and quivering lip. She could see nothing but kindness mixed with concern shining from his eyes.

"Please Miss tell me why such a beautiful woman would be standing on the street crying? Has some man made an ungentlemanly pass? Say the word and I shall track him down. Not to brag, well perhaps just a bit, I am quite efficient with my fists. I am at your service." He gave an exaggerated elegant bow. His head almost scrapped the sidewalk. Katherine could not help but smile at his attempt to make her smile.

"Just say the word and the scoundrel shall be picking his teeth up from the ground." He looked at her steadily. He had only ever seen such sadness in one other woman's eyes. Christine looked at him with the same kind of sadness. As if she were alone in the world with no hope for tomorrow.

Katherine squared her shoulders. Using her hands to fuss with her dress pretending to straighten imaginary creases giving herself time to compose herself as she shakily replied, "You are mistaken sir. I am not crying. I simply had a piece of dirt in my eye. I shall not require your assistance in any capacity."

"Well, now that I have been firmly put in my place I shall let you be on your way. On your way into the dress shop were you? Choosing something for the ball next week? Oh how silly of me. Of course you will have already have your gown." As he watched a gradual change took place. She went from stoic pride to trembling lower lip to outright sobbing in a matter of seconds.

Merde! What did I say? I am sure I used the correct words. I do not think I said anything improper. Glancing around he saw no irate father, husband or beau coming to thrash him for making her cry. He put his hand on her shoulder and before he knew what was happening she had her head tucked into his shoulder crying as if her heart were broken. Not knowing what else to do he wrapped his arms around her shushing her while he patted her back awkwardly. This was so reminiscent of Christine, he had to swallow hard to push the rising feelings back down.

Crying, depressed females was why he left the hotel. Christine was crying because she had not yet been able to find Erik. Meg was almost six months pregnant. She was feeling insecure about herself as well as worrying about her future. She wanted her mother. No matter how many times he told her she was beautiful she just cried. He assured her he would help in any capacity she needed. She sobbed harder. At a loss he had felt the need for escape. In desperation to retain a little of his sanity as well as his male libido. He had been surrounded by crying females for almost a solid month. He had left the suite with both of them crying.

Raoul thought he must be out of his mind. What sane man would volunteer to help a woman he was still in love with, still married to, leave him for another man? The cherry on the top of this tempting desert was he had a woman who was pregnant with another man's child living with him and his wife. Most men would look at him in envy assuming him a virile man who had his lovely wife in one room then his pregnant mistress in another. The more creative pictured them all three together. Well that would quickly turn to riotous laughter when they knew the true circumstances. Raoul had not lain with a woman in over a year. He was beginning to think that his high ideals about those of the red light district were perhaps a little too discerning. How long could a man live servicing himself? Raoul had no intentions of finding out the answer to that question. His intention had been to find a willing woman for the night.

Raoul felt like one of those whipped dogs that begged those who beat him for just a pat on the head or a kind word. Considering how his father treated women he was surprised he was not just as chauvinistic. It would be better if he could be a little less caring. His brother Philippe had been a first class cad where women were concerned. He had treated them horribly, yet they flocked to stand in line outside his bedroom door.

Perhaps he needed to be a little more cavalier in his treatment when dealing with the fairer sex. Women seemed to be attracted to the faintest hint of danger. Perhaps he should indulge himself then toss them aside like a worn out shoe.

He had been minding his own business enjoying his leisurely stroll down the busy street when sniffling had caught his attention. Seeing the woman leaning against the store front he had hardened his heart taking a step off the sidewalk about to cross the street when a muffled sob reached his ears. Dropping his head and shoulders in defeat he walked behind that pathetic looking figure. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder as he offered his services.

When she had turned around his legs had almost been knocked useless. God in heaven she was beautiful. The sun glinting off her almost white blond hair could blind a man to anything else. If she had been the most grotesque looking woman in the world a man would not notice when he saw her beautiful hair. When his eyes locked with her soft, blue eyes, awash with tears, he had been willing to give his soul.

When she had leaned into him grabbing onto fistfuls of his shirt he was lost. Her tears along with her unintelligible words had him willing to offer anything. Wrapping his arms around her small frame he held her loosely against his chest.

Raoul gently put his hands on her shoulders pushing her away from him. Lifting her wobbling chin with his finger he used his handkerchief to dab her eyes, at last giving it to her so she could delicately blow her nose. Well most women would have delicately blown their nose. She honked hers like a goose in flight. Like a child might. When she looked up at him with her guileless eyes he saw despite how old she looked her eyes reflected differently. He had not seen such innocence since he had first saw Christine over four years ago.

"Come on things can not be so bad. Let us walk down the street to that little cafe. We can have something refreshing to drink then if you feel you can trust me with your troubles you may tell me what has such a lovely young woman crying on such a perfectly wonderful day."

Glancing around as if someone were after her she walked beside him reluctantly as she said, "You should not be seen with me. We may not even be served if they find out who I am. It has been happening all morning. They may even through us into the street. That was threatened earlier. You really should just leave me. My driver was just going to ride around the block. Look there he is now." Pulling up the hem of her gown to prepare to run she waved her hand at Martin.

Raoul was amused when he saw the pins in the hem of the gown. She clamped her hand over her hat as if afraid it might fall. She took two quick steps forward before an odd inclination took hold of him. Knowing it was completely improper, fully expecting her to slap his face, or the least give him a good dressing down, he gave into the impulse to playfully grab her about the waist. With a little amused chuckle he pulled her back with his two hands at her waist. A waist that he could feel soft skin under the material of her dress instead of the stiff corset he had been expecting. Another mystery. Well perhaps this one will remain a mystery.

"Surely you were not thinking of leaving me alone? Do you have no pity in your heart for a lonely man is a city that is strange to him.? Will you not help a lonely soul while away a few hours? Help me fill a few hours that would be otherwise boringly empty." Raoul placed his right hand on his chest just over his heart giving her a look of pleading a little boy would use to win favor with a parent or doting grandparent.

Not ever having flirted Katherine couldn't even recognize it when aimed in her direction she flatly stated, "I do not know the city any more myself. I have only just returned after...well after a time away. I would only get you lost if I tried to show you anything. If you really would not mind you may come in my coach. Martin can drive you where you need to go. It is the least I can do after you were chivery...chive. Damn. I can not think of the word. I am just grateful my father is not here. He has enough things to find wrong with me."

What a odd young woman. She was unlike anyone Raoul had ever met. After his initial attraction he had quickly moved to protective older brother in his feelings for her. Raoul berated himself. Here was a perfectly wonderful woman. What happens? His chivalrous tendencies override his lustful needs. That was the story of his life. If he did not dislike Erik so much he would ask him to teach him some Phantom tricks.

She stepped up to the edge of the sidewalk as a black carriage pulled to the curb. A middle aged man stepped down taking his hat in his hand looking at Raoul as he spoke, "Miss Katherine things did not go well? Damn hypocritical harpies. Pardon my harsh words Miss Katherine. It just makes my blood boil it does, the way folks have been treating you. Ain't right. No sir, it ain't right at all."

Not wanting him to say too much Katherine interrupted before he could continue, "Martin this is...Oh I forgot to introduce myself or ask your name. I should have done that should I not Martin?" Stepping back over to the stranger Katherine smiled widely holding out her ungloved hand as she told him her name was Katherine Montgomery. Another strange thing Raoul noticed just before his lips grazed her knuckles. Almost all women wore gloves also her hands were a little rough. Her dress along with the fact she had her own coach and driver indicated she had at least a little wealth. Women of certain social classes did not do manual labor. Taking her hand in his he kissed the back of her knuckles lightly. Releasing her hand he barely contained the smile as she held the hand he had kissed in her other hand looking at her hand as if it had suddenly become something she had never seen before.

Katherine couldn't belief it. He had kissed her hand as Gamm said some men did when meeting a woman for the first time, or if she were a close acquaintance. Just before releasing her hand he said his name was Raoul de Chagny. She of course must call him Raoul. This Raoul was the first person outside the estate to speak kindly to her. To treat her as anything other than a savage coming to take their hair.

"You must call me Katherine. Please come with me. Please. Let my driver take you wherever you wish to go to repay you for your...She whispered something in Martin's ear. He whispered something back. She continued with a bit more confidence than before, " Please allow me to repay your act of chivalry." She looked to Martin who gave her a nod of approval.

Katherine shared what some might consider her first outing or date, with a male suitor. Or at least an interesting, handsome man who was not her brother. Although the words suitor or date never even entered her mind in association with Raoul. He was simply someone who showed her kindness.

Raoul suggested they go to his hotel. He owned half of it so he could guarantee she would have a pleasant experience. As they rode in the carriage to the hotel Raoul asked her a little about herself. She wanted to tell him everything. She needed a friend. A friend from this world she no longer held any place in. To reclaim her place she must learn as much as she could in a short period of time. As a comfortable silence took over the inside the confined space Katherine's mind raced with all she would need to reveal and explain. As Raoul looked across the seat smiling at her she did not feel alone anymore.

This man, Raoul, he instilled a sense of calm in her. In Katherine's eyes Raoul had claimed the roll of hero. He was her knight. Her protector. When she caught Raoul looking at her she smiled happily. This had turned out to be a good day after all.

**A/N: If you got this far please be kind and leave me a review. Am I keeping the story in the realms of believability? Leave an opinion one way or another. Please?**


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-five**

**Confronting the Past **

Katherine did not understand why, but this man Raoul made her feel comfortable. The only other man who made her feel this way was Lone Wolf or rather, Matthew. Since Matthew planned on visiting his mother at some point, he made the decision to be called by his Christian name. Fawn kept her name while White Dove simply dropped the first part of her name. For legal purposes they adopted Matthew's last name Armbruster. It was easy enough to claim them both as his sisters. Who could dispute it assuming anyone was interested?

She had no fears of Martin saying or doing anything to hurt her. She also felt no urge to confide in him. Not in intimate details. He was kind as well as protective but still she could not feel as open with him as she did Lone...Matthew.

When Katherine had continued to voice her concerns Raoul had assured her that not one person would show her disreapect without some sort of retribution. He was after all the majority shareholder in the hotel. What good was that if he could not enjoy a few perks along the way?

Raoul confidently helped Katherine out of the carriage. He told Martin to return in a couple of hours if that was alright with the lady. It certainly was. Raoul took Katherine's elbow guiding her into the hotel lobby. He hoped neither Christine nor Meg had a sudden urge to come to the hotel restaurant for lunch. There was little likelihood of that but the way his luck had been running in his personnal life he should expect anything. When he had left them upstairs in their suite they had been crying buckets. Usually after one of these sessions they ordered some rich chocolatety dessert then took a long refreshing nap.

He noticed right away several people looking in their direction. Several ladies sniffed in disgust as they passed with comments such as_** "Well I never." "Can you believe she has the audacity to show her face and in here of all places. She has no shame."**_ **"How dare she mix with descent people."**

Raoul thought it best to nip this in the bud before things got out of hand. One of his first investments after he had arrived over a month ago had been to invest in the very hotel he was staying in. He had purchased fifty-one percent of the shares. He had made his purchases of stock through brokers. He had used several different brokers as he wanted to remain anonynous until he had controlling interest. If the owners had known someone was purchasing all the outstanding stock, they may have made moves to purchase as much stock as needed to keep control of the hotel. Through a second party Raoul bought controlling interest. In the long run it was cheaper than paying by the night. Since he had not made up his mind where he would make his final home either here or return to France the investment worked out well. One of the perks of owning the hotel was living in one of the penthouse suites. All the cleaning, meals and laundry were taken care of by the staff.

Seating Katherine on a chair just inside the lobby Raoul asked her to excuse him for just a few minutes. He needed to speak with the desk clerk concerning a small business matter, then he would return. Approaching the desk he put on his most authouritative expression. The man behind the the black marble counter began to preen sraightening his clothing, smoothing his hair. It paid to impress the ones with power. He didn't want to be a hotel manager all his life even if it was the finest hotel in Norfolk. He had hopes of moving in higher circles as an owner some day.

Reaching the desk Raoul leaned against the marble counter. Casually he removed a flat silver case from his vest pocket. Opening the case he removed a slim cigar. He had no idea just yet why Katherine was being ostrasized in such a vicious manner but in his hotel they would show only respect for her or they could leave the premises. That included the guests. Raoul hoped his show of support would curtail the guests from making further comments. Since most of the guests knew who he was this would add weight to his actions to help Katherine.

"Good afternoon sir. What might I be able to do for you? Everything is up to your standards I trust? Forgive me if I intrude, but, well since you are somewhat new to our country, and do not know about such things, I feel I must inform you that your companion is of, shall we say questionable morals?" He raised his brows meaningfully, hoping Mr. de Chagny would be able to catch his meaning.

Raoul took offence on Katherine's behalf. He knew for a fact she was not of loose morals. If she were she would have taken advantage of him once she had his attention. Anyone who two funcioning brain cells could take one look into her eyes and know she was exactly as she appeared, a beautiful woman who was wonderfully innocent of guile or subterfuge.

Turning his eyes toward the man waiting patiently for him to speak, to make some sort of reply, Raoul remained silent. Raoul took his time. People became nervous when left to speculate what a superior might be going to say to an underling. Raoul wanted the man to know he was the one with the power. Raoul took a match from the ceramic cup filled with matches. Striking the match on the rough surface of a small block beside the cup just for that purpose, Raoul lit his cigar. Tossing the match in the ashtray provided he inhaled then blew the smoke upward in a fragrant grey cloud. It hovered for a moment then disappeared. He leisurely puffed on his cigar.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the man beginning to move about nervously, he was beginning to pull at his shirt sleeves and move from foot to foot. Raoul studied the glowing tip of the cigar.The man began to shuffle through papers spread out across the desk. He pulled the room registry book toward him jerkily leafing through pages not really seeing anything as the pages were being flipped through rather quickly. Raoul restrained the smile from showing on his face. He thought perhaps he had made the man suffer enough.

Not knowing the names yet of all in his employ Raoul's eyes searched for the day managers plaque. Reading the man's name from the nameplate sitting on the counter Raoul addressed the man causally in a low friendly tone, "Samuel, see that young lady over there sitting in that chair directly in front of us? The one you just insulted with your libelous statements? You know who I am so let there be no mistake, I mean each and every word I am about to say. I want Miss Montgomery to feel as if she were at home. No, on second thought, I want her to feel she is the queen being served by her subjects. Not one person will say or do anything untoward to the young lady. That goes for today or any time she steps foot in the front doors. Anyone who has a problem no longer has employment. I am sure you can make my wishes known to all the staff as well as the consequences for going against my wishes. I want everyone from the bellboys to the cleaning staff to know that to show by word or deed anything other than respect will cause an immediate dismissal. Without references. Have I made myself clear? Oh I know I do not have to give this warning but I will. If one word gets back to me to the effect that she is anything other than a friend I will be less than pleased."

Raoul had been the subject of enough gossip to know how the minds of certain people worked. Some little incident would be taken and embellished until the ending situation in no way resembled what had actually taken place. There was enough real scandal in his life without anyone adding to the fire with false speculations.

Shoving himself away from the counter he said pleasantly, "I know I can leave it in your hands to let it be known in a subtle manner that Miss Montgomery is a personal friend of the Viscomte Raoul de Chagny family. Well thank you so much for your co-operation. I do believe I have kept the lady waiting long enough. Please make sure they have my usual table ready. I'll be waiting with the lady. Please have the maitre d' come for us when it has been prepared." Stubbing his cigar in the ash tray Raoul rejoined Katherine. He sat in the chair at her side.

"Did you get your business settled?"

"Yes I think things went quite nicely. It should not be long before we can be seated. If I had known I was going to meet a beautiful woman, who would be joining me, I would have had the best table reserved." Raoul marvelled at her blush. The only woman he saw blush these days was Meg. She had retained her innocent air despite the harsh realty of what happened to her.

Samuel could only look on in wonder for a moment. The man had two beautiful women in his suite. Now he had the notorious Katherine Montgomery. His trousers tightened when he thought of what the young men about town were saying about her. If it wasn't for Mr. de Chagny he would make a play for her himself, not openly of course, that would be social suicide for him. Mr. de Chagny could get away with it as he was foreign as well a stinking rich.He wondered what de Chagny wanted with her. Perhaps he hoped to reap some benefit of her wildness. Samuel thought perhaps he would give her a go himself after all. He sighed knowing he would do no such thing. He needed his job. He strode out from behind the front desk to make his way quickly to find Charles the maitre d'.

Smiling at Katherine Raoul said, "It will only be a few minutes. It is almost lunch time. Instead of drinks how about lunch? I would be honored to have you join me. If you do not I shall have to dine alone. A lonely man at a table with everyone looking on in pity as I eat my solitary meal." He managed to look convincingly soulful. Katherine agreed.

It took a little coaxing but Katherine did tell him all that had happened to her over the last eight years. He gently prodded her into telling him every last detail from eight years ago until she meet him less than an hour ago. Before Katherine realized what had happened she had unburdoned herself of the whole sorry mess. Presently she was trying to explain her finances as best she could, not truly knowing the magnitude of her wealth. When Raoul had heard how much Katherine had actually inherited on top of the realestate property, he did some quick calculations. Katherine had to one of the richest women in the state. Far richer than he was himself.

"Gamm has kept the trust intact for me. She has even added to the amount. I know it is a lot of money I just do not know exactly if it is a fortune or merely an adequate amount. Ha! I'll have to remember to tell Gamm I used one of my words for this week." At his enquirig look she contined, "I of course could speak English when I left I just did not know all the words a woman of the age I am now. A lot of words I have forgotten. I can think of the word in Apache but the English words have flown away. It feels as if my mind had been frozen when I was twelve. Now I must learn to fit in. It is hard when no one will allow me to try. I think I understand a little why they would not like me but I did not choose to be taken. I did not raid or kill anyone. I have never taken a scalp."

"Of course you did none of those things. Katherine there are always going to be small minded people. For all the ones you meet that are prejudiced against you there will be equal numbers who will be willing to get to know you. What about your friends you had before? Have any been so see you?"

"I do not think anyone has been to the house. Father would not allow anyone to visit. I have not been brave enough to face anyone I knew before outside the estate staff. And now there is you of course." Looking at the clock on the wall she sighed. She needed to leave soon. She was planning on stopping by her fathers office after she stopped off at the law office of Mr. Roger Hartford.

"I really should be going. I have enjoyed our talk. Other than Martin, yours is the first friendly face I have seen since I came to town. Ouch! Damn it." Covering her mouth with her hand she looked at Raoul with shocked eyes. Of all the words she could remember that had been one of them. She had been saying it in private quite frequently as of late.

Raoul chuckled. She looked like a little girl who feared having her mouth washed for having spoken a curse word out loud. The more time he spent with her the more he realized although an adult in years and in most cases able to fit into that roll, there were some areas of her life she would remain a little girl until time in this new environment caught up with her. It would be better for her when she learned everything but Raoul thought it would be a shame for her to lose that childish innocence.

"Ah a flagrant abuse of profanity. Be careful or someone might accuse you of witchery or perhaps being a worshiper of Beelzebub himself. Do not worry Katherine I believe we are out of the dark age where a woman would be burned at the stake for uttering an improper word. Some situations just warrant a good cussing. Let me guess. One of those pins in the hem of your dress stuck in your ankle?"

Katherine had been going to ask him what half the words he said meant when his question refocused her attention as she asked, "How did you know about the pins?" Her embarrassment showed at yet another thing to prove she did not belong in a day filled with evidence of her unsuitability.

"I caught a glimpse of them as you grabbed your skirt earlier to get in the carriage. No need for embarrassment. If anyone should feel uncomfortable it should be me for ogling your ankles. I have a suggestion. The ladies in the hotel laundry do repairs for the guests. We can simply retrieve your dress from Martin that you wore to town, then let the ladies work their magic on the presently unfinished garment. I happen to know the owner would not mind if you used the managers office to change. Does that sound acceptable? When you finish I have a propostion for you."

If it were anyone other than Katherine, a lady could be forgiven for mistaking his offer for more than just assistance with a minor difficulty. She accepted the help he offered as readily as she accepted his friendship. She was not aware that one could misinterpret his offer as a proposition for more intimate exchanges.

Mabel the manageress of the laundry room told Katherine it would only take a about half an hour to finish the hemming that had already been strarted. Katherine put her old dress on while she waited. They ate their lunch of salad, a ham and cheese sandwich, washed down with iced lemonade. Raoul would have ordered wine, but he thought Katherine would not be used to it and its affects on her might be more potent. He could drink a glass of lemonade if it meant making Katherine feel more comfortable.

After lunch the dress still had a bit to be done so Raoul began to give her a short tour of his hotel. Raoul took her through the interior garden or atrium as Raoul said it was called. So much beauty contained within the walls of a modern structure. Some things in this new age of progress Katherine had to admit were worth the time it took to discover their wonders. As they strolled along she told him of her impending visit to her father's office after first making the recommended stop to the lawyers. Gamm had given her the address and the man's name to ask for at the law offices.

Reading was another thing Katherine had trouble with the first few weeks. Her father was under the impression she could not read at all. How could he forget how she used to read every night just before she went to bed? Her skills were lacking when she returned but she had doggedly plowed through several books so that by now she was quite good. She could not understand all she read but she could read quite well.

When they were once again in the carriage Raoul offered, "Katherine I was a student of law in France. I know laws are different here but I should be able to decipher the legal ins and outs. I offer my services. I hope I am not being too immodest when I say I do have a knack for financing as well. So what do you think? Shall I don my knightly armor or tuck my tail between my legs whimpering like a whipped dog all the way home?"

"I would appreciate any help you could offer. I know nothing of business. I have been reading everything I can get my hands on. Gamm has a few files she has let me look over. She has explained what she can. All I know is Gamm said I should begin to learn. She also warned me not to sign any papers before I have someone outside the city look them over. At one time I would have bet my life that my father would never do anything dishonest or shady. Especially if it was something that would hurt me. I have learned he is a very different man than he was before. Either that or he was always this way but never had reason to show what he was truly like. I am learning since my return that very few people can be trusted and even fewer can except others who are different."

"That reminds me, " Raoul suddenly sat to lean forward in his seat. He tapped on Martin's shoulder. He informed him they would be making a slight detour. He asked Martin to return them to the shop, _**Elegance by Helene**_, where he met Katherine.

When the carriage stopped Raoul stepped down to the pavement. Holding his hand out he waited for Katherine to place her hand in his.

She nervously looked at the shop. Her earlier embarassment was still very fresh in her mind. "Why have we come back here?"

"Did you not say you needed new dresses? Well, you shall have new dresses." When she hesitated he gently commanded, "Trust me. My accounts with this establishment will quarantee service." He held his hand out giving her a encouaging smile.

Placing her hand trustingly in his, she allowed him to lead her into the interior of the shop. Her recent humiliation she had suffered here returned as the women all looked up to see who had come into the shop. She heard a few inelegant sniffs from upturned noses.

Raoul strode with confidence to the counter. He tapped the bell a couple of times. Straightening to his full height he squared his shoulders arranging his face in his most huaghty, noble countenance.

"Oh Mr. de Chagny. How delightful to see you. Is...is your wife or Miss Giry with you? I did not have them down for an appointment." Her eyes nervously flicked to Katherine. She was beginning to regret her earlier treatment of her. Mr. de Chagny's wife and Mrs. Giry were two of her more profitable customers.

"No, Madame Helene, they have no need for anything. For a few days anyway. You know how women are. Any excuse is cause for a new dress. The change in the time of day requires a change of clothing. No I am here with my dear friend Katherine Montgomery. She told me a most distressing tale. One I am sure you can explain then correct your mistake. It seems she was made to feel unwelcome. She was refused service. I am sure it is all a misunderstanding. I would hate to think Mrs. de Chagny and Mrs. Giry could no longer patronize this shop. You have such talented designers and seamstresses. As much as we would like to continue I am afraid we must take our business elsewhere if this problem cannot be resolved."

"Oh, no, no, no. Please don't do anything hasty. Of course it must have been a mistake. I will personally attend to the young lady myself. If you would care to come with me? There are a few dresses I am sure would suit your taste." Helene was a widow with three children. She could not afford to lose such a large account.

From that moment on Katherine could have been mistaken for royalty. She paraded in gown after gown seeking Raoul's approval. He only turned away a few. She couldn't say she disagreed with him. She was assured they would be altered and ready in a couple of days. Katherine also picked out several dresses for Fawn and Dove. She hestitated to ask but Raoul standing beside her boosted her courage so she asked if someone could be sent along with the gowns to make any alterations to the other women's dresses. Of course, anything Miss Montgomery desired. Nothing was to much trouble for her new best customer. In fact Katherine had bought more in one afternoon than most women buy in months unless buying for a special occasion. Katherine left the shop with a little more confidence and a spring in her step.

The visit to the law offices of Hartford and Hartford got off to a rocky start. At first they refused to cooperate with Katherine. Assuring her she need not worry her pretty little head about such things. Her father would take care of everything as he always had before. Once they realized Raoul could not be bullied or misled with false praise they sobered their overly jovial faces then proceeded to state the facts of Katherine's inheritance. Raoul made sure they gave Katherine the documents giving her access to her accounts. He instructed them to make copies of all the documents he had set to the side. The father and son exchanged uneasy glances. What they had done was not illegal but some might consider it unethical, a conflict of interest as well as a breach of etiquette.

Armed with information Katherine was ready to confront her father. Well with Raoul, her new friend and confidante she was ready. A new determination began to build with each passing second. Some part of the brave woman Katherine had become began to make its way to the surface. She had allowed herself to slink into passive docialty over the month she had been home. She had allowed herself to be cowelled by so called civilization. Each new thing she conquered lifted the woman she had been closer to the surface. A new proud confindent woman was emerging. At least on the surface. Underneath she was still somewhat intimidated by her lack of knowledge of this world.

Her fathers office was located in an annex building to The Richmond Royal Theatre. Katherine was in awe of the majestic building. She had never seen anything so beautiful. Its stark white facade glistened in the bright afternoon sun. She counted no less than ten tall columns supporting the ornate roof that hung out over the grand marble steps and entryway. She had never seen statues before. The ones that facinated her the most as well as brought a flush to her cheeks were the ones depicting men of Greek mythology. The men were carved in stone without a stitch of clothing. Katherine who had never seen a naked man was in awe of what her eyes were seeing. Did all men look the same. She cast a culvert look in Raoul's direction speculating how much he and the statue had in common. She quickly drew her wayward thoughts back to the purpose of her visit.

Martin dropped them off in front of the four story building containing her fathers office as well as various offices for the upper management of the opera house. Raoul opened the front door into the building giving her a reassuring smile. Katherine would rather face a grizzly with a thorn in its paw than have to discuss the financial ruin her father faced. He had run everything deeply into debt. Since she was partial owner now the debt was also hers. She had the financing to save everything if she wished to draw from her trust. If not her father would be totally bankrupt within a month. If she chose to push for control, the new investor, Mr Fontaine would no doubt withdraw his support. Katherine would prefer to own everything without the added annoyance of having to feel she had to meet someone else's expectations.

The lawyers had told her there was an invester by the name of Fontaine who had been interested in purchasing shares in several business she and her father owned. In fact he had already poured a considerable amount of money into several of the bussinesses in trade for Katherine's portion of the businesses. Her father had received money by selling off a portion of the stock in the theare as well. Again Katherine's portion had been sacrificed. Of course now that sale was null and void since she had now returned. Owning fifty percent, Katherine was the major stock holder. The saleof the businesses had been concluded shortly after Katherine's return which made the sale illegal without her consent since she was now tweny-one. She had reached the age where she could control all her assets if she wished. The lawyers had then mentioned that the money from the sale had already been spent to cover another loan. She could either give Mr. Fontaine his money back or let her father go to prison. Even with the return of the money Mr. Fontaine could choose to file charges. Even if nothing came of them her father would be ruined. He could never get a line of credit anywhere again without the backing of Katherine's trust fund.

Katherine asked the young man at the information desk which floor her fathers office was on. He told her Mr. Montgomery had the whole of the top floor along with his new partner Mr. Fontaine. She could take the newly installed elevator or walk up four flights of stairs.

Kathrine had reservations about stepping into a little box that would be pulled up by ropes and pulleys. At least that was how she understood the explantion when Raoul had told her what an elevator was. She also did not wish to greet her father or his employees looking sweaty and out of breath. She had walked and climbed further distances over the last few years. That wouldn't be the problem. With all these layers women were forced to wear she would start to perspire after the first flight of stairs. Pushing her reservatons aside she opted for the elevator.

Katherine stepped out of the elevator with the feeling of having left her insides on the ground floor. Perhaps the return trip could be made taking the stairs. Stepping out of the elevator ahead of Raoul she looked to the loft and then to the right. A man sitting at a desk clicking little buttons with his fingers on some little machine, sat behind a desk. Later Katherine would learn the man was using a typewritter.

Hearing the rustle of her skirts the man looked up inquiring, "May I help you?"

Although he addressed Raoul, Katherine stiffened her spine then answered, "I wish to see my father. I am Katherine Montgomery. Please tell him I am here." She looked around searching for someplace to wait. She did not wish to have their conversation out in the open for all to hear. Everyone already had enough to say about her.

"Is there a room where we might wait for him? An empty office perhaps?" She continued to hold his eyes even after seeing his shocked reaction first to her speaking in such a forward manner then further shock registered when she gave her name. No doubt he had heard of her return from the _**wild savages**_ _**and their savage ways**_.

The man just sat with his mouth open not making a move to comply or deny her request. He was confused as to how he should treat her. Her father when he spoke of her was less than flattering. Raoul was afronted on Katherine's behalf as the man did not even stand when she approached the desk. He was beginning to think American men had lost the ability to show proper respect to women. This attitude that everyone showed Katherine was becoming rather tiresome. If this man was in the employ of Mr. Montgomery did that also not make him Katherine's employee as well?

"Sir, if you would please make haste we do not have all day. I might remind you that Miss Montgomery holds controlling interest in all of this? Perhaps we should look for ourselves if you cannot do the job for which you receive a salary." Raoul's implication was not lost on the man.

Hearing the repremanding censure in Raoul's voice the man jumped to his feet stiffly exclaiming, "No, no. That will not be necessary. If you will follow me please? I will show you to the boardroom. It is empty at this moment. There are no meetings scheduled so you should have privacy."

He indicated for them to follow him. He lead them to a room with ornate moldings around the ceilings and walls. Thick blue carpeting covred the floor. A long table sat in the middle surrounded by at least twenty chairs. A sideboard held bottles containing different types of liquor along with glasses as well a bucket for ice.

"My name is Arthur Pendleton should you need anything further you have only to ask." Bowing slightly he left them to take seats to await her father's appearance.

Katherine sat nervously with her hands clasped in front of her on the glossy surface of the table. Why should she be nervous? She was perfectly within her rights to inquire about businesses she had a financial interest in, even if society deemed women less than capable of any sound business sense. In fact it was greatly discouraged for women to show knowledge of anything as important as financial matters or politics. Women were beginning to protest against such theories but until times changed women were thought best left tending to matters of home and family. They should not overtax their capabilities with such vulgar matters. It was quite unseemly. Katherine had begun to think she cared not a smidgeon for the others opinions. Men in particular were pigheaded and judgemental. Except for Matthew, Martin and of course now Raoul. He had proven to be very supportive, willing to give advice if asked for instead of forcing his opinions on her. Captain Richards had been kind to her as well.

In a room down the hall Erik was deep in discussion with Daniel Montgomery not knowing his onetime rival was just down the hall from him. The next few minutes would be the crtical turning point for everyone. A course would be set in motion changing everyones lives. For good or ill was left to the individuals.

Arthur knocked on the door. This used to be Mr. Montomery's office, but now it had been taken over by the new partner, Mr. Fontaine. Receiving permission from Mr. Fontaine to enter he did so with trepidation. The man, Mr. Fontaine gave Arthur the jitters. One look from his cold, hard eyes sent women and men alike scattering. Well perhaps not all the women reacted in this manner if all the gossip was to be believed about the man. Where there was smoke there was fire as the old saying went. Arthur had found it to be true in most cases.

"Sir, I hate to interrupt, but your daughter is just down the hall waiting in the boardroom. She has a gentleman with her. Forgive me sir, I neglected to get his name."

"Damn it I told her not to ever come to town. Forgive this intrusion Erik. I will deal with her quickly, then send her on her way." Daneil got angrily to his feet. Why did Katherine have to choose today of all days to grow a backbone? He much preferred her obedient to his demands.

"Should I not meet her? I would be meeting her eventually as we have now settled our financial arrangements concerning the opera house." Erik had heard many rumors concerning Daniel's daughter. Daniel himself had not expressed any emotions other than irritation for the complication his daughter presented in his life. He had told Erik of his wife, Lydia's desertion. Erik could not say he would miss that judgemental woman much. As far as he was concerned it was good riddance. Now if he could charm the young woman out of her shares in his opera house. Everyone was always reminding him it was a theatre and named such. That would be changing soon.

"Yes, I suppose you are correct. A meeting here would be better than someplace more public. As to the theatre, I am glad we have finally reached an agreement. You may change it into an opera house or anything else for that matter now that you have purchased half interest in the building. Let me assure you I shall not interfere. I have no artistic talents. I simply enjoy the entertainment."

"I am pleased to hear that reassurance." Erik had eveery intention of running it as he saw fit regardless of what Daniel said. He would also be changing the name as soon as he could order the sign to be made. His dream, The Richmond Royal Opera House, was close at hand.

"As for as Katherine is concerned, let me assure you she will pose no problems in any of our arrangements. I can control her. She will not be recending any deal we have made." Daniel could only hope he could get Katherine out of the office without Erik speaking with her.

Erik looked at Daniel suspiciously as he asked, "What do you mean?"

Daniel had hoped to avoid all of this. It would seem fate had caught up with him. He eyed Erik with trepidation. The man had a temper black as a winter's night and twice as cold. "Well technically all of this belongs to Katherine and I equally. Well of course there is that three percent I sold to Hayden, but he only comes to listen to the new talent. He supports them you know?" Daniel was trying to stall so he could give himself time to think of some way out of this. Seeing the determination in Erik's face he knew his time had run out. "Katherine owns fifty percent of everything. I assure you I can control her. Today's defiance is an exception. One that will not be repeated."

The damn man had sold Erik his daughter's fifty percent without her permission. Daniel would make good on this deal or suffer the consequences. Erik's anger was on the rise just as the volumn of his voice rose to coincide with the opening of the door to the hallway. "You damn well better keep her under control. I want that theatre. One way or another." The threat of dire consequences for anyone who stood in his way were not idle threats.

Daniel waved Erik out ahead of him. Once in the hallway he answered Erik, "I have everything under control. She was not supposed to even come to town. I can not imagine what she thought she was doing defying me. She has been compliant until now."

They had reached the boardroom door before Erik replied to Daniel. He had no idea on the other side of that door was the man he had fought for the love of Christine. A man he had hated for so long. In the last year his hatred had lessoned somewhat, but then he had not come face to face with his old adversary in three years.

Hearing male voices raised in arguement Katherine and Raoul both rose to their feet. Something about the tone of one of the voices set off alarms in the back of Raoul's mind. He knew very few people other than his own business contacts. Instinctively his hand went to his side to grab a sword he no longer carried at his side. His unease began to grow as the voices grew nearer. He took a protective step toward Katherine placing a hand on her shoulder.

The door opened. Two men deep in discussion did not see the other two individuals in the room. They continued their convrsation as they stepped into the room.

"Daniel it is no concern of mine if you cannot control the women in your life. I paid you money in good faith now I expect the contract to be honored." Erik not seeing Raoul standing just to the left of him, entered the room, Daniel following closely on his heels.

Raoul would know that cold melodic voice anywhere even without seeing the face, he knew he had unwittingly found Christine's Angel. Erik. The bastard who had ruined his life. Without his knowledge, but he had ruined it all the same. All the old animosity, anger and humiliation surged to the forefront of his mind as if it had only been waiting to be brought back into the light. Raoul clenched his teeth and hands with equal ferver.

"Son of a bitch." The curse left Raoul's mouth before his brain reminded him there was a lady present. He sent Katherine an apologetic glance.

Erik looked up when he heard a male voice curse. His head jerked to his left. His whole body stiffened in shock. He knew at some point he would have to face his old adversary. He had hoped it would be in a place and time of his own chosing. Anger had his hands clenching the papers in his hands wadding them into a ball. Remembered humiliation,despair and hatred washed over Erik from the last time he had seen this man. Anger took hold bringing forth the dark forces he had been trying to bury or at least control the last three years. Both men would have been surprised to know they shared humiliating memories concerning Christine, the woman they had both loved passionately. In fact if one looked at the parallels they ran side by side as far as the emotions were concerned.

"You!" both men growled with equal hatred. Unlike Raoul, Erik always carried a weapon. Instinct fueled by his almost forgotten memories took hold of him. His hand brought out his Punjab even before the thought fully registered to do so. Erik had been aware for some time Christine was in search of him. That was one of his reasons for moving to Virginia. The Virginia Royal Theatre was in fiancial trouble. He planned to take advantage of that fact. He wanted Christine to sing for him again. To sing something he had written. To have her give voice to his music in front of others would be one of his most glorious moments. For a while he had been able to let go of the dream of Christine. When he had come across the letters among Nadirs things concerning her search for him his dream had been reborn like the phoenix from the ashes.

The two old adversaries faced off. Who would be the victor this time? Would anyone be victorious?


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-six  
Erik Meets his Match, his Destiny? **

Katherine seeing the man with the mask she assumed he was some sort of criminal. Perhaps someone who had already accosted Raoul at some point as he seemed to know the man. Judging by the hatred in each man's voice it was not a pleasant reunion. Seeing the masked man's hand pulling out some sort of thin wire from an inner pocket she reacted before thinking of any consequences. She rushed forward shoving her shoulder into the man's midsection. If Erik had been expecting such a reaction there would have been no way Katherine could have taken him down as she did. Erik fell backwards taking the woman down with him as he landed with a bone jarring thump on the floor. In a tangle of legs and women's skirts Erik fought to disentangle himself.

Katherine had not given any thought to the fact that it was most unseemly for a woman to behave in such a manner. For her it was a case of seeing potential danger to someone she cared about and reacting accordingly to that threat. As Matthew had taught her she had taken down her foe in one rush of a powerful hit to his midsection. In this method you got your opponent on the ground while knocking the air from his lungs, giving you time to get the upper hand. When one did not have a weapon one improvised.

Growling in frustration and anger Erik put his hands on the crazy woman's waist to hold her still. Instead of stiff fabric he felt soft pliable skin under his hands. That distracted him for a moment. His hands softened their hold, in an unconscious caress, as his eyes sought hers. In the same instant she looked into his face. Not at his mask, at least not at first. Her first glimpse close up of the man beneath her was of his piercing green eyes. They had the look of something...deep...something not quite tamed in their depths. As she continued to delve deeper into his eyes her own breath seemed to be locked somewhere in her chest. The man beneath her let out a rush of air as he tried to heave her off of him. His minty breath wafted across her face as he exhaled sharply, drawing her attention to his lips. The bottom one was slightly fuller than the top one. They were nicely shaped. Katherine found herself wondering if they were as soft and warm as they looked. Would his lips hold the promise of that untamed, unknown emotion glowing in his eyes? She felt herself being drawn unwillingly into the man beneath her. Her head seemed to dip on its own with no thought of such action coming from her brain. Once she felt his pull on her that was all her mind could focus on in that segment of time. She had the insane thought flitting inside her head to touch her lips to his. She felt as if she were floating on a cloud. The only thing holding her down was his hands on her waist.

What could have been an eternity or a few seconds they stared into each others eyes. Katherine's need for air broke the spell. Inhaling deeply she then expelled her breath. Pushing herself up by placing her hands on his shoulders she began to wiggle her way to her feet. Her face became flushed the longer it took her to remove herself from this man's body. She felt that hard thing between his legs pressing into her belly. She had never seen one, but she knew what one looked like, sort of. The older women would tease the younger ones with stories. She knew what that thing being hard meant. Sort of.

Shameful feelings and thoughts were running around inside her head. Things she should not be thinking at all. What the devil had taken possession of her senses? Her traitorous inner voice answered, "He did." Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. All the emotions rushing into her mind and the tingling of her senses were all foreign to her.

In any other situation, Erik thought, this would have been a welcome encounter. Erik's reaction was a typical male reaction to feminine curves pressing tightly against their flesh. When she began to wiggle he thought he might embarrass himself in front of the one man he hated most in the world. Fuck. He hoped his burgeoning erection went unnoticed. That was one humiliation Erik could live without. Having lustful thoughts for another one of Raoul's women was not one of his goals. This was probably his mistress. Some young trollop he bought with a few shiny baubles from the jewelers. He wondered if Christine knew. That's when it hit him that if Raoul were here Christine might be as well. That this might be Daniel's daughter completely fled Erik's mind in his renewed hostility toward the Vicomte.

Temporarily forgetting his state of arousal he shoved the woman unceremoniously aside then nimbly climbed to his feet. He turned slightly to the side to hide his trousers tenting problem. Christine. She was here in the same city. Possibly within just a short few minutes ride from here. Erik felt his heart kick into an erratic beat with urgent excitement.

When Raoul ignored him completely to reach down to help the young woman to her feet Erik felt a moment of regret for his less than chivalrous reaction. His anger quickly allowed him to discount any ungentlemanly behavior. God, for the first time in three years Christine could possibly be in the same city he occupied. His mind raced with the possibilities. All his decisions to leave her in his past faded like mist in the afternoon sun. In this moment he could think of nothing other than seeing her again. To hear her voice in song once more would be an ecstacy he thought he might never experience again. Erik forgot Raoul, Daniel, and the presence of this woman, who in some small corner of his mind, he acknowledged must be Katherine Montgomery.

As he watched Raoul helping his attacker from the floor, his consuming anger toward Raoul returned with a flash of heat racing through him. With unreasonable rancor his dislike of Raoul spilled over onto this unknown woman. His instant reaction to her angered him as well. He came into contact with so many beautiful women that he did not always have the reaction of an erection when seeing one any more. Not unless one caught his interest for some reason. He could not imagine what his body found so damn arousing about this one. He had seen far more beautiful women. Letting his glance rove down then back up he had to admit her form was enticing, but so were hundreds of others he had seen.

Brushing himself off he looked toward the couple with condescension making its way over his face as well as into his voice as he asked snidely, "So have you mislaid your wife? Or did this whore find your favor for the afternoon?" That niggling voice that kept insisting to bring some knowledge to him he ignored.

Katherine now being aware just exactly what that word meant, gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes in that man's direction. It was true she had lived with the Apache, it was even true she had shared a teepee with Lone Wolf. What everyone seemed all too willing to forget was she had lived with Lone Wolf and his sister Fawn, as their sister. She had done nothing wrong. She had committed no acts she should feel shame for committing. She clenched her hands wishing for the briefest moment to have one of Matthew's tomahawks in her hand so she could knock that smirk from the man's face. She would show him a savage.

"Erik, sir, please this is my daughter, Katherine. The one I told you about. Let us be civilized about this." If Katherine had thought her father was defending her he quickly disabused her of that notion. "Please let us at least close the door. We need to be discrete. We cannot have any more speculation being bandied about just now." Turning to Katherine his lips pinched in disapproval just before he asked, "Katherine, could you be a little more discrete with your...well with your liaisons? I have a respectable business to run. If you must cavort with some...man, why not the one you lived with and brought to live with you?" Her father made it sound as if she and Matthew were lovers. He spoke as if she had brought Matthew along for the purpose of...well for things she could only imagine, nothing she had ever actually experienced.

Raoul instantly came to Katherine's defence as he spoke with censure in his voice, "Sir, I fear you have misjudged our association. In no small part due to the ungentlemanly innuendos of this...this..I cannot make myself refer to him as anything other than the crass, uncouth, being he is and always has been. Katherine is a true lady. The term gentleman sticks in my throat when referring to a ghost or phantom." Raoul put his arm protectively around Katherine. This action as well as what Raoul said angered Erik, as it brought into the open his less than conventional upbringing. It pointed out the fact in blinding light that Erik had been considered less than human for most of his life. His anger began to boil inside him. His hand inched without conscious thought toward the thin wire he had only just moments ago returned to his inner pocket. That damn woman had the nerve to narrow her eyes at him. The threat was obvious. She would take him down again if need be or at least try. Just to test her convictions Erik was tempted. There would be a different outcome this time. He was aware of her now. Acutely aware.

"Girl what possessed you? What is the meaning of this visit? Have I not made myself clear you are not to leave the estate? I cannot imagine what Mrs. Graham was thinking allowing you to come to town. Her father spoke as if she were less than intelligent. He made it seem as if she were unable to make a competent decision for herself. He degraded her by referring to her as "girl", as if she were meant nothing to him at all.

"I suppose Martin drove you in. Well, he will be in need of new employment after this. I'll not have it girl. I'll not be embarrassed like this again."

"No." Stark and to the point Katherine made her first official decision concerning her personal and business affairs.

Her father spluttered, "What? What do you mean, no? Of course he must be relieved of his position. He knew damn well you were not to leave the estate. I may have to consider releasing a few others as well after this flagrant disregard for my instructions."

"No father. Martin works for me. Not you. You have shown me you do not consider me as your daughter. You can not dictate my life. I will not be kept in hiding any longer. I own this place, or at least fifty percent. I will say when I will come and go. Not you. Not anyone ever again. I control my own life now." Katherine was feeling much more confident. While her confidence was still high she thought it might be as well to settle the matter of her father living in her house before her courage dwindled.

"I own the estate in its entirety. It is in my name. He will not be leaving. As a matter of fact I think it would be best if you found somewhere to live other than the guest house. I have offered it to Raoul. He is to be my guest for a while. That is if he consents. He has not given me his answer." Katherine hoped she knew Raoul as well as she thought she did.

Her father stuttered a protest that she closed her ears to, as she regained her composer while her heart beat rapidly in nervous trepidation, that she hid well from anyone looking at her. She was done with laying prostrate on the ground while he walked all over her. She was finished with begging for his forgiveness when she had done nothing wrong. She no longer would beg for his love or affection. She would cut him from her life as he had cut her from his.

Thinking quickly Raoul thought, why not? Perhaps he could be a thorn in Erik's side if he stayed close. From now on he would not be wandering around unarmed. Bowing gracefully he said, "Why I would be honored of course. My wife Christine and her sister Meg would be glad of a change of scenery. I believe my wife will be especially happy to see her old tutor. How about you Mr. Fontaine? Would you like to see Christine or have you found another...student." The pause along with the emphasis on the last word was clear to all but Katherine.

They were interrupted from further discussion when the man named Arthur Pendleton burst through the open door panting to catch his breath. He had been running all over the building looking for Mr. Montgomery and his guest Mr. Fontaine. Perhaps due to recent events it was the other way around. Damn he hoped he did not lose his job because these fucking people could not stay where they said they would be.

"Sir, Mr. Montgomery. I have been looking all over the building for you. I wanted to advise you of your daughter's arrival. I see you have already found each other. Well if I am not needed I will get back to my work." He left quickly before anyone could comment or object. The men looked as if at any moment all hell was going to break loose. Arthur wanted no part of that. He was only biding his time until he could marry his fiancee. Her father had offered him employment. He was not going to inform Mr. Fontaine of this fact until after he had already departed. The man had a temper hotter than Hades.

"So Erik, I am sure we are well enough acquainted that I may address you as such, considering how close we were the last time we met. Does everyone know about your unorthodox living arrangement when you lived in Paris or your profession? Are they aware of the title you claimed for almost twenty years in your old profession?"

"You bastard. They know what they need to know and no more. Keep your mouth shut or...?"

"Or what? You'll wrap your Punjab around my throat again? Kidnap my wife in a pathetic attempt to make her love you? I do not see any portcullis handy. Perhaps one of the beams of the ceiling would suffice. Although it might not be so easy this time. There are no traps here. It would be face to face. Something I am sure you abhor for obvious reasons." Raoul was goading Erik, but he knew he could not stop. That last remark hinting at Erik's disfigured face found the target as soon as the words left his mouth.

With a deep growl that worked its way up from the dregs of anger boiling in his belly all the way out his mouth Erik roared, "You son of a bitch. I will kill you this time. Christine is not here to beg for your life or kiss me to sway me from my intentions. Nothing will save you now." He had been slowly advancing on Raoul as he spoke. At his last word he launched himself at Raoul ramming his shoulder into Raoul's midsection in a move much like Katherine had used on Erik earlier. Raoul stumbled back a few steps then fell heavily to his back. Erik's body followed Raoul's down, pinning him to the floor. Erik raised himself up with the intention of wrapping his hands around Raoul's neck. As Erik drew back Raoul punched his right fist into Erik's face. The force of the blow threw Erik's body back. Raoul sat up taking another shot at Erik, hitting him once again, before crawling to his feet.

The men began to exchange blows with their fists. The smaller pieces of furniture were knocked about some turning over to its side. The heavy table did not budge as Erik slammed Raoul down on his back onto the hard surface. Putting his boot into Erik's chest Raoul heaved Erik over his shoulder where he flew over his prone body to land with a resounding thud on the floor on the other side of the table, crashing into some chairs. Raoul turned over then crawled to the end of the table. Before he could maneuver around so he could put his feet on the floor Erik reached up grabbing him with both hands behind his neck. Giving a hard tug Raoul toppled down to slam into the floor beside Erik.

Rolling away from each other both men nimbly got to their feet to face one another again. As they circled for only a few seconds then began to exchange bone breaking blows, Katherine looked at her father. If she expected some sort of help from him she was to be disappointed. Katherine was fast coming to the conclusion her father was useless in any way a man was required to behave as a man. If something was to be done she would have to do it. Men. The more she learned the less patience she had with them.

Raoul slammed his fist into Erik's jaw sending him backward. Losing his footing Erik tripped falling onto his back. Rolling over he got to his hands and knees preparing to resume standing when he felt a small body slam into his back. Before he even had time to register what had happened he found his arm twisted behind his back. His arm was pushed so far up into the middle of his back he could do nothing to break the hold. The pain in shoulder from the strain nearly causing him to black out. A knee pressing down into the middle of his back added further humiliation. Damn it. This was the second time this woman had surprised him, taking control of him.

"I have had enough. You will behave. I have removed your weapons. All of them but the small knife at the front of your belt. That one you may keep if you promise to behave. Otherwise I shall have to embarrass the both of us and remove it. Understood?" Katherine had whispered into the man's ear. She saw no further need to bring his manhood into question. He had been thoroughly humiliated as it was. No need to press the point as long as he behaved sensibly.

Raoul was bent over with his hands resting on his knees as he tried to regain control of his breath. He could not control the satisfied grin that spread across his face if he tried. To see his rival bested by a tiny woman gave him endless satisfaction. His smile as well as his satisfaction dimmed just a little as Katherine began to speak.

"The two of you will stop behaving like overgrown schoolboys. That is one thing I do remember. Men are the same no matter where they come from. You all preen and walk about like cocks fighting for the hens. Raoul you will be civil as well. Neither of you will make any references to anything other than business. If you get out of line I just might have to show you a few things I learned to control the males built in need for aggression." As she spoke she held knife she had removed from the back of Erik's belt. She placed her finger on the tip allowing it to prick her finger just enough to draw a tiny pinpoint of blood.

Both men were thinking of the different ways animals were castrated. Erik had memories of men in Persia as well flitting around in his thoughts. Both men adjusted their legs as if to protect that most sacred part of a man. At least the part men cherish the most.

"I think we can all agree enough time has been spent trying to prove who is in charge. I think it safe to say I am in charge at this moment. Raoul you will sit here by me." Katherine stood behind a chair with her hands resting on the back as she continued to issue orders. "Father you will sit across the table with Mr...I am sorry I did not catch your name."

Before Erik could answer Raoul spoke first, "He is the Phant...oh pardon me. It would seem I am mistaken. That man no longer exists. I believe you are now known as Mr. Fontaine is it? Katherine this is the great man I told you about. Only when I knew of him before he had many other names."

The tension in the room was almost tangible between Erik and Raoul. Katherine and her father looked from one the other of the men facing each other with open hostility, expecting them to come to blows at any moment. Katherine could understand Raoul's reaction to this man if he was the one who had all but destroyed his happiness with his wife. Raoul had not gone into great detail. He had only said another man had his wife's affections. He had given her brief details of their affair.

This must be the man who had come between Raoul and his wife. Raoul had not told her very much about events that took place other than his wife loved a man who had nearly taken his life. He briefly stated that the man had some sort of physical disability that kept him from living among others. Katherine did not want to admit it, but she could understand how both men felt. Raoul had not belittled the man in any way as others might have. He had even told her in some small way he could see things from this man's, this Erik Fontaine's, point of view. He of course had not known at the time he would be meeting his old adversary within a short time of relaying this information to Katherine. For both men to feel this much hatred there had to be more than simply a man stealing another's wife. This ran much deeper than that.

"You know damn well..." Erik's incensed words were cut short before he could finish his thought.

"Gentlemen did I not say the schoolyard games were over? If you would be so kind as to take your seats we can continue. All this strutting is getting us nowhere." Katherine stood with her arms crossed. She looked at Erik frowning with dislike. When she looked at Raoul her face changed to a look of one scolding an impudent disobedient but much liked little boy. Erik did not miss the exchange. His one little piece of gratitude for this whole fiasco was he had not worn his porcelain mask and had long ago learned how to secure all his masks tightly to his head with leather ties, unless it was the one he was wearing now, which was made of a soft cotton dyed black. This one was heavily starched with cloth strings tying it together at the back of his head.

Both men took their seats reluctantly. The whole time they eyed one another with extreme dislike. Raoul was remembering all the nights he had been with Christine knowing she thought of her onetime tutor. Knowing that no matter how loving or thoughtful he was he could never measure up to the man Christine pined for. This man had destroyed his life long after he had left. Without being there physically he had destroyed Raoul's marriage with the memories Christine had kept in her mind and heart. Memories Raoul could not compete with. Raoul's buried memories of how unmanned he had felt fueled his reborn hatred of the man across the table. A hatred that seemed to be returned measure for measure.

He had no idea what had come over him. Had he not decided Erik was a poor bastard the world had forced to live in conditions not fit for humans? Had he not decided Erik was not the only one who held blame? Raoul had finally come to the conclusion that if he had lived as Erik had he might have committed the same acts of insanity. Admitting that to oneself when you never had to see the one who stole your life was easier when you did not have to face them. Even if Erik had won Christine without his knowledge the result was the same.

Raoul had accepted that Christine loved Erik. Would always love him. He had even gone so far as to offer his assistance to help find the blasted man. Everything had dissolved into a molten pool of hate as soon as he saw Erik. Everything from the past came rushing back. Adding insult to injury had been all the past weeks of listening to Christine cry day and night for a man who owned her heart as he never had and now never would. He was so pathetic. If Erik knew he would laugh himself unconscious.

Once everyone accepted that only current business matters would be discussed, things went swiftly. An armed truce had been declared. Daniel and Erik both were not happy with the current turn of events. Raoul had a keen business mind as well as knowledge of the law. Erik had to give the devil his due, he had the upper hand and knew how to exploit it. As much as it galled him, Erik had to concede to sharing ownership of The Richmond Royal Theatre or forfeit his claim by taking back his investment. Damn it he wanted that opera house. That fucking smirk on Raoul's face almost made Erik forget his agreement not to throttle the noble. He knew how much the opera house meant to Erik. Perhaps he could work on the girl. He had learned he was not without charm on certain types of women. Perhaps he could finesse his way to full ownership. Thinking about how she had gotten the upper hand not once but twice he thought he might exact a little extra revenge if the opportunity arose. He ignored how his hands trembled when she stood over him pointing out a clause in the paper she wanted changed in the agreement. The pounding of his heart, well that was merely his rancor for de Chagny having that effect on him.

Katherine and Raoul left her fathers office to allow them to stew and collaborate on ways to remove her control. Katherine was under no delusion that her father would stand for her having control of anything to do with his business matters. He barely allowed her into his private life. She did feel more like her old self though. More confident. What she did not know she could learn. Raoul had proved to be an asset. One she would keep close by. She had been inspired when she had on the spur of the moment said Raoul would be moving into the guest house.

On the way back to Raoul's hotel Katherine asked him to tell her more about the man in the mask. He had told her only a little of his life earlier. She knew there was much more to the story. For some unknown reason Raoul told her every gory detail. Once finished he felt as if he had purged himself of some poison. He had not realized how much his hatred of Erik ruled his life. He had thought he buried it after he married Christine. He had not forgotten anything but he had thought he had begun to forgive. It would seem the wound had only been partially healed. All it took was a little pricking at the scab to reopen the wound allowing it to bleed as heavily as it had when first inflicted.

Katherine did not want to admit it, but she could understand how both men felt. Raoul had not belittled the man in any way as others might have. He had even told her in some small way he could see things from this man's, this Erik Fontaine's, point of view. He of course he had not known at the time he would be meeting his old adversary within a short time of relaying this information to Katherine. He had neglected to tell anything about this Angel of Music's feature's or oddities therein

He had known in the back of his mind he would be facing Erik again. He had just not thought all the antagonism would rush to the surface. It would seem not only on his part but Erik's as well. God! Would any of them make it out alive this time?  
**  
A/N: Feed my ego. Read and review.**


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-seven**

**Old Antagonists, New Antagonists **

When Raoul returned that evening to the penthouse his feet were dragging. So many internal conversations had run through his mind. Nothing seemed appropriate. How could he let go of Christine so easily? That is what finding Erik meant. He would at last have to admit that the little flicker of hope would finally and forever be snuffed out. The flame would never rekindle.

At first he thought he had been blessed and both women had gone to bed. It was after all three o'clock in the morning. After Katherine had dropped him off he had not been willing to face either one with his news. His own mind and heart had trouble accepting the truth of what had happened. He had hired a cab to drive him endlessly around the gradually darkening streets. When the cabbie hinted at two thirty that the morning came awfully early for folks who worked for a living, Raoul got the hint. He would mind catching a few winks before the sun came up. Raoul had asked him to take him to his hotel.

The lobby of the hotel had been quietly deserted. The only person there had been the night clerk as well as a couple of the cleaning staff. Raoul had bid them a good-night as he past each one. For once Raoul took the elevator up to the eighth floor. When he was alone he made it a habit to take the stairs. Since coming to America his exercise had been limited. He had not even been astride a horse. The man in the elevator tipped his hat. He had no need to ask which floor. He recognized Raoul from the times he had ridden the elevator with his wife and the pretty little woman rounded with child. Others speculated she was his mistress. He left such speculating to others. He liked his job too well to risk getting fired for gossiping about one of the owners.

Raoul leaned against the door scrubbing his face tiredly with his hands. Pushing away from the door he began to undue the knot of his tie. Since he was in a new country he had adopted their way of dressing. Although some elements weren't as elegant as French fashion Raoul liked the less restricting garments. He did not miss the tails that hung down from the back of his jacket. He had even bought a pair of boots the man assured him the men of the wild and rugged west wore. Raoul had not noticed anyone wearing a sword but he had seen several men with guns strapped around their waists secured at the thigh with leather ties.

He had almost made it to his room when a soft voice called to him from the dark, "Raoul? Is that you? Where have you been? We have been worried sick about you." Meg's voice contained barely restrained tears. She turned up the lamp beside her, filling the room with a soft glow. Actually she had awoken with a fierce craving for a ham sandwich. Having gone to bed a couple yours earlier after she and Christine had given up waiting for the wayward man to come home.

Going over to the fireplace he poked it then added a log the staff had brought. It was May but the nights still had a chill. Some mornings there was even frost on the ground. Satisfying himself the blaze was sufficiently licking up the chimney Raoul turned to look at Meg intending to firmly tell her she should be in bed when he caught sight of her tears running down her cheeks. "Ah, Meg," he sighed. "You should not wait up for me. You need your rest. I am a grown man. I can take care of myself."

"I know that, it's just that we hear so much about people being attacked and robbed. I know things were the same in France but inside the opera house we did not hear much about things on the outside. We were almost like a separate city on our own. In fact the number of employees outnumbered a lot of the smaller towns around Paris." She paused to give him a searching look. He looked far less happy than he had earlier.

"So tell me what has saddened you? Do not even bother to deny that anything is wrong. I have learned to read your moods fairly well." She got up from the couch to approach him. Taking his face in her hands she gave him a searching look then said, "This not a face of a happy man. When you left you were whistling. I thought for sure you were meeting with some female companion." She tapped him on the shoulder with her hand, "Oh do not look so shocked. There is only one thing that makes a man growl like an animal in pain one moment then whistle like a lark the next. Come on. Sit. Tell Meg all about it." Taking his hand she led him to the couch sitting down then pulling insistently on his hand to drag him down beside her. Brushing her hand over her robe she waited for him to speak.

Damn if he did not feel like spilling his guts a second time in one day. Well technically it was the next day. Perhaps that made him a little less of a weak willow. Living among these two women constantly was slowly stripping his manhood. When had he become such a confiding fellow in the opposite gender? Damn he had to change things or soon he would be knitting before long. God, what a thought.

In a rush he said without embellishment, "I saw Erik today. I actually talked to him. Needless to say we almost killed one another again. I have yet to look in the mirror. I know my lip is split. My left eye feels a bit puffy." Meg jumped up going to the ice bucket of the cart holding the bottles of liquor. Most of the ice was gone but the water was still cold. She grabbed a cloth from underneath the cart. Dipping it into the cold water she returned to Raoul.

Wiping his face she looked at him closely. "Your eye looks a little bruised but not too bad. There is a small cut on your lip. Do your injuries hurt much? When I see this Erik person I shall give him a piece of my mind. The very idea of hitting you. Shameful."

"To be fair Meg I did hit him as well. Quite a number of times. Can't say I am sorry either. No doubt this was just the beginning of many such battles. He's changed Meg. I actually came across him during business. He still wears the mask but there was something about him. He was confident. There were others in that office. They did not bat an eye at his appearance. He seemed comfortable as well."

"I know you do not wish to hear this but I am glad he has found a place in the light. I have worried he would dig deep in some dark whole again. Considering all he has been through it was a possibility. I have prayed for him to find the strength to come out of the shadows. Everyone deserves a chance Raoul. Even Erik."

"I know, I know. I am a selfish bastard. I can not help how I feel. If he had taken anything else from me other than Christine I would have been angry but my heart would still be whole. How does one live with only half a heart? Perhaps I should ask Erik. He is an expert at being heartless."

"Shame on you Raoul. Your situations are not the same and you not it. He has many wounds on his heart. You have one. One that with time can be mended. Some of his wounds I believe he has carried all his life and go too deep to ever be healed completely. Show just a little compassion. It is not his fault Christine changed in her feelings for you. Just as it is not his fault you have not mended yet. He can not help who he loved. It was just one of fates cruel twists that brought Christine into the lives of two men who love her deeply and that she loves as well. Yes Raoul she does still love you. Whatever you may think she does care deeply for you still."

"Now, I suggest we get to bed. Tomorrow I fear will be a day of strain. Do you wish to speak to Christine alone or would you like for me to be there?"

"If you would not mind Meg I would like for you to be there. If for no other reason than your cool head. You have a way of calming people on the verge of losing their minds."

"As you wish. I dare say you both will remember I am with child and therefore have a delicate constitution. Too much shouting is not good for the baby. Remember Uncle Raoul, you have a responsibility to your niece or nephew." Meg laid her hands on the round mound of her stomach. At six months she looked like she was going to explode. The doctor had been making predictions of twins. For Meg's sake he hoped not. Just imagining what was to come made him squeamish. Raoul sure to hell hoped he was gone the day she delivered.

Raoul woke to face the morning he considered as his venture into living hell. He had spent the last hours just before dawn rehearsing what he would say. So many discussions had plagued him he now had a raging head ache. His mind let a few of his more unrealistic offerings to enter his fogged brain.

Oh by the way Christine, I found your soon to be lover. Oh you need transportation to meet with your lover? No problem. What's that you say? You want me to escort you to Erik's bedroom. Of course I will. You want me to dance at your wedding? How delightful. Your naming me Godfather to your children? Fucking great. Just fucking marvelous.

Raoul brought his hand to his head. Closing his eyes he pressed his finger to his temple. Bending his thumb he made a sound like a gun firing. That was what he thought was more realistic. If he knew it would not delight Erik tremendously he just might consider it. Or better yet shooting Erik sounded even better. One of Raoul's first stops this morning was going to be to the gunsmith's shop across town. He would not be meeting Erik again unarmed.

Thinking over his discussion with Meg last night he had forgotten to mention they would be moving in a few days. Christine may not even want to go with them. He had no wish for any more speculation to be making the rounds during social functions. He was just beginning to be accepted into this new society. It helped that he was titled as well as being wealthy.

When he went into the dining alcove the two women were already seated sipping coffee or tea from their cups. There was a roll away cart topped with several chafing dishes. Lifting the lids he made a hearty selection before sitting down at the table. Raoul suddenly felt as a prisoner might at his last meal. How did one start a conversation like this?

"Ah, Christine I...well I have." Raoul wished his tongue would suddenly disappear of he could claim he had suddenly lost the ability to communicate. **_Merde_**. This was a fucking nightmare.

Christine sat forward listening intently to him. She had a strange look of expectancy on her face. She could not possibly know. She would have said something right away.

Christine had over the last month fallen in love with Raoul all over again. They thought her tears were for Erik. They were not. They were tears she shed for her own stupidity over throwing something so real, so deep, as Raoul's love, away. Over the last month she had learned many things about herself. She did not like some of what she had learned. She was a selfish person. She had been spoiled by Meg and her mother. Even Erik had spoiled her. When Raoul came along he had continued the process of turning her into a selfish, thoughtless child. She had not really thought of anyone's feelings but her own. The two men who loved her the most she had treated in the most horrible manner.

In her arrogance she had felt because she loved Raoul and he still cared for her things would return to the way they were before. She had waited days for Raoul to make some sort of declaration. They had begun to have conversations. At times he even took her to the dining room for dinner if Meg was not feeling well. Once again she had thought the world revolved around her.

Now he looked so serious. He must be going to make his declaration today. Finally they could be together as man and wife again.

Meg's hand resting gently over the top of Raol's stilled his agitated movements. She gave him an encouraging smile. Before his tongue could unravel itself to allow him to speak Meg took over the conversation stating plainly, "Christine, Raoul saw Erik yesterday. He knows how to get in touch with him."

Christine was struck dumb. Of all the things she had expected Meg to say, what she did finally say, was not one of those things. Surely that was not what Raoul was having such a hard time saying? He had found Erik? She had to confess to herself her heart did race a bit at the thought of seeing her Angel again. She did still love him in some way. Even had lust for him. She admitted to herself that she would always wonder what it would be like to be with him at least once. God. She was such a terrible person. Why could she not make a decision and stick with it?

"Erik?" She cleared her throat when her voice came out sounding weak. Her mind suddenly seemed to disconnect from her mouth. She could think of not one intelligent thing to say after whispering his name. Looking down she saw Meg's hand covering Raoul's. Then a horrible thought flashed with incredible logic. Was this why Raoul was so interested in helping her find Erik? Did he want Meg? Oh please dear Lord anyone but Meg. Jealousy began to eat away at her common sense. She caught herself grinding her teeth. Christine was awash in the quagmire of her own making.

With nothing further coming from Christine Raoul told them about moving to the estate of Katherine. They wanted to know who she was and how he met her. Christine's interest was a little more intent than Meg's. How many women did Raoul have? Did he plan to start a harem? Christine narrowed her eyes the wheels in her mind turning. There must be some way to make him want her.

She simply could not tell him she had changed her mind for then he would know how stupid she had been. He thought badly enough of her without adding anything further. He would know how fickle her heart was. She had never before realized how weak her character truly was until recently. She had never before had reason to question her values, her strengths or weaknesses. Throughout her childhood since coming to the opera house she had always had Meg and her mother as well as Erik to depend on. To lean on. To tell her what to do. Now she had to make choices about her own life she was not equipped to do so.

Listening on the fringe of the conversation Christine sat with a false look of interest on her face. The other two carried on the conversation around her. Decisions were made not requiring any more from her other than a simply nod of her head with a smile. Her mind was miles away.

In one of the wealthier sections of the city Erik was just descending the stairs to join Nadir and Darius for breakfast. Tugging in irritation at the cuffs of his shirt he stepped down into the entryway. This morning he did not take the time to admire the beautiful things his wealth had provided him over the last three years. Once leaving France behind Erik found he enjoyed spending money. For a person of his intellect it still irritated him he had allowed the opinion of fellow humans to degrade him to the point he buried himself deep in the ground just as if he were dead.

Not any longer. Now he lived as he should have been living all his life. Only occasionally did he have a set back. He still struggled with all his old rage, but his shame concerning his face was slowly becoming a thing of the past. Until last night he had not dreamed of Christine in many months. Almost a year in fact. He had almost made a fatal mistake yesterday. He had let all the old hatred and rage he felt, surge to the surface. His outburst could have caused him to lose his opera house. Damn it. He wanted that building of art and refinement. He had always dreamed of truly owning The Paris Opera House. That can never be but he had a portion of The Richmond Royal Theatre and he'd be damned if he let a chit of a girl come along ripping it right out of his grasp.

He had thought to threaten her with sending her father to prison but quickly learned that was not worth voicing as they did not share a typical father daughter closeness. In fact Daniel had seemed quite vexed when he had learned of his daughters return. At the time Erik had wondered why he had capitulated so suddenly after seeming to drag his feet hoping for a better offer. Now he knew why. It had not been his to sell with the return of his daughter. Erik would be looking into the matter closely trying to find any weakness. He wanted his opera house. Nothing was going to stop him.

Christine had been a distraction as he had lain in bed trying to think of strategies to outmaneuver that woman. He wondered what Raoul's relationship was with the woman. Remembering his body's unwilling reaction to her he had to concede Raoul did have excellent taste in women. She did not have the delicate feminine look of women of society. She was nowhere near as soft as Christine had been. Of course he had only felt her through layers of cloth. Her skin was slightly browned as if kissed by the sun. Not something society considered fashionable.

Considering she had spent eight years in the wilds doing God knows what she had not seemed to be uncivilized as her father had described. A little naive perhaps but quite civilized. When he remembered her pinning him to the floor not once but twice his pride stung just a little. Damn woman must be part Amazon warrior. Erik had not had a man hold him down in defeat since he left the Gypsy camp as a child. It was insulting to have been bested by a slip of femininity. In any confrontation he had come out the victor. Naturally Raoul's triumphant face slipped into his musings taunting him with his loss at the cemetery three years ago. That loss still rankled even if it were a simple act of bad luck that he had slipped on the frozen snow. Now that Raoul was here also seeming to be ready to pick up the battle where they left off perhaps he could win back his pride in defeating Raoul. Just the thought of running Raoul through had his blood pumping in anticipation.

Taking his seat at the head of the table he gave his instructions to his manservant Nigel. He would start with a strong cup of coffee.

"Well Erik please tell us what has you looking so chipper? You did not go to one of your customary fights as your face is still intact" Squinting at Erik he did see a bit of bruising on Erik's jaw. "Your knuckles are not swollen. So what sort of woman caught your attention this time? Please do not tell me you were weak enough to give into that man-eater Mrs. Cecelia Trenton. Her husband will kill you for sure. Did he not threaten to do just when he caught you in your little tryst wearing slightly less than society requires? Is that how you came by the faint bruising I see around your eye and cheek? "

"Damn it Nadir how many times do I have to tell you I did not know she was married? The woman was so free with her favors I thought her unattached." Waving his hand in dismissal he continued, "Besides that bag of wind could not take me any way. He is all huff and bluff. He had to make a show to save a little of his pride. I can understand that which is why I did not kill him when he did throw a punch hitting me in the jaw. One I thought I owed him. The second I stopped, warning him if he ever laid a hand on me again I would kill him slowly and quite painfully. I believe he left with his wife to head further north. Now pass me the plate of toast if you would not mind."

Nadir handed him the plate persisting in finding out the cause for Erik's unusual good morning cheer. "Well if it was not that woman who then? It has to be a woman. You have that predatory look you always get when you set your sights on some hapless female. I never thought I would have to worry about you overstepping the bounds with women Erik but I think you have turned into a bit of cad. As with all things there is such a thing as overindulgence."

"I suppose I should tell you. You will learn soon enough. I met Raoul yesterday." Erik's head jerked up from spreading jelly on his toast. Nadir had dropped his cup onto his saucer with a loud tinkling of broken china. Darius was poised with his fork halfway to his mouth.

"Erik you did not...Raoul is not...The cause for your good humor is not the demise of Monsieur de Chagny I hope? Please tell me you have not committed murder," Nadir asked in real fear for everyone's safety.

"Considering how our last two encounters turned out I should be flattered. Thank you for having faith in my abilities while at the same time having no faith in my self control. Although considering we did end up in a brawl exchanging punches I think you have need for concern. If others were not present I may well have strangled the boy. Unfortunately there was a pesky interruption." Erik took hold of his jaw with his fingers flexing it testing for stiffness. His mirror had shown only light bruising on the left side of his face. Nadir had not been able to see them as he sat on Erik's right. Or at least he thought he was safe until Nadir had disabused him of that fact.

"Erik where did this free for all take place? As hard as you have worked to secure a welcome into society I hope you did nothing to deter your efforts." Darius raised his brows in inquiry. Secretly he wished he could have seen the exchange. Erik was becoming quite proficient with his fists in the ring. A practice he continued after they had moved to Virginia. Ox had given him the names of several contacts in the area. It would seem men were willing to beat the crap out of one another no matter where they came from or there social status.

"You just wish you had been there Darius. You have become quite an aficionado of the sport." Leaning forward with his arms resting of the table Erik narrowed his eyes as he continued, "One day we shall have to get in the ring together. I am curious if we would have a standoff or a clear victor."

"Oh Erik let me assure you there would be a clear victor. You would be watching him walk away as you lay on the floor nursing your wounds." Darius smiled to let Erik know he was only teasing. Well only partially. Darius excused himself to get ready to leave the house. He had some investigating to do in the matter of stolen property and a certain Jackson Tyler.

"Arrogant bastard." Erik scowled after Darius as he retreated. Then he returned his attention back to Nadir. "As you know I went to see Daniel Montgomery. He wanted me to look over his warehouses to see if I might be interested in purchasing them as I have need for storage since I still have the import and exporting business in New York. The railway runs just behind his warehouses. The river is only a mile or so away. That would be convenient for an alternative way of transport to other cities located on the river. My main interest was the theatre as you know."

"You remember his daughter was returned after being captive for eight years?" He continued when Nadir nodded in the affirmative. "Well it would seem Daniel only had partial control of everything. He has no access to any of the money. He could only handle the business side as he and his daughter have equal shares. Or they did until Daniel began selling off portions of his daughters shares. Since his daughter returned the legal issues concerning transactions made during her absence came into question. More importantly the ones made after her return. It would seem Daniel did not have permission to sell any part of The Virginia Royal Theatre or the warehouses. Miss Katherine Montgomery has come back to claim her inheritance."

Nadir looked confused, "But what has any of this to do with Raoul? How did you meet him?"

"I have no idea how he met Miss Montgomery but can you imagine my surprise when she informed us he was her consultant. Sneaky bastard knew he had no legal rights to practice here. The boy has more brains than I gave him credit for. As a consultant he has no legal standing, but it will not impede him from giving her advice. I must admit the boy has more intelligence than he showed when he was younger."

"Before you ask I will tell you Christine is here. Although I somehow do not think that is a great surprise to you or Darius. Did you think I did not know about the detectives? The letters from Antoinette? I have always known Christine wanted to see me again. Why would she not want to see her teacher for so many years? I have been planning our meeting for a long time. Why do you think I was so adamant to purchase the opera house?"

"Erik have you learned nothing from your past mistakes? Nothing good can come of this. It is true she looked for you. She had become as obsessed with you as you had been with her. Obsession is never healthy Erik. Nor does it engender the true emotions of love. Love does not lead one to commit unspeakable acts. Not just to win the one you love. Obsession is an unstable emotion at best. At worst it is dangerous. Remember what it brought you to before."

Nadir could see his pleas were falling on deaf ears. Erik would hear nothing that did not support what he wanted when it came to Christine. He always had lost his ability to reason when it came to that young woman.

"I can see it is useless to continue this conversation. You will do as you please running down anyone in your path to get to what you want. So when will you be contacting Mrs. de Chagny?"

"I have not decided yet. I only found out yesterday she had finally caught up with me. It will have to be in a public arena. Some function where it would be acceptable for me to approach her. I would not want anyone to spread any false gossip about her. Daniel's daughter is all but blacklisted from every social function. She did nothing wrong yet they still shut her out. I am sure that will change once everyone learns she controls the money. The fact that de Chagny has befriended her will open doors. His title has all of Richmond panting to have him attend their gatherings."

Nigel returned with Erik's breakfast. The two men settled into quiet self-reflection. Each man was left to dwell on his own thoughts. What would the next day bring? How could they keep Erik from making a colossal mistake? The south was just recovering from a horrible war. They just may be revisited with the cries of battle with only two combatants instead of many. Would anyone remain standing?


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-eight**

**Week of Frustration**

Katherine only waited a few days before she went to town to make an appearance at the office. She did not want to seem a coward by staying away. In the carriage she had tons of courage. Once the carriage stopped in front of the theatre and office building she was not quite so eager to face that horrible man, Mr. Fontaine again.

She convinced herself her heart rate sped up only because she anticipated a confrontation. It certainly had nothing to do with the dreams she had which she convinced herself she could not remember all that clearly. If Mr. Fontaine had been in her dreams instead of Raoul, well it must have been a nightmare. She had definitely not dreamed anything...well...anything personal. That shadowy man holding her while he kissed her senseless could have been anyone. She skirted around the issue of the man in her dreams wearing a mask.

She did not allow herself to remember too vividly how intimate she had been with this mysterious dream lover. Once the cloud of sleep had cleared she had almost been able to convince herself that it had not been Mr. Fontaine in her dream at all. Some other man with a mask had been in her dreams. She clenched her thighs together as the warmth began to spread with memories of a man's touch where no one had touched her before. Placing her hand on her chest she willed her heart to slow its fast pace.

Once inside the building she saw the operator was not in the elevator. She would take the stairs again. She still was not keen about getting in that box on her own, with Raoul it had seemed safe enough, on her own she would rather walk. She knew that little button raised the cage. It was not the going up that caused her concern. It was the fear of coming back down rather quickly, if something came undone that worried her.

"Miss Montgomery? Would you care to ride the lift up?" Katherine spun around at the sound of her name. The young man from the other day had only stepped out for a moment, now he had returned. He was coming out of the room which contained the downstairs facilities. He approached her with a wide smile. He knew who paid his salary. Besides he had no beef with her. She had never done anything to him personally. It wasn't as if she ran around scalping people or anything like that. She had been a victim just as others were victims.

"Oh, yes, that would be lovely. It is much to hot to climb stairs." She was rather glad she would not have to face Mr. Fontaine with a face dripping with sweat and out of breath. If she did not have all these trappings society forced on women she could have made it up those stairs before the lift left the ground floor.

"No problem Miss. If you ever need anything just ask me, the names William. Most everyone calls me Billy though. 'Cept, my mom, she calls me William, or if she's upset with me, William Howard Jefferson. Lord how I hate to hear all three put together. I know for sure I'm set to have my ears boxed if I hear all three names put together."

The elevator reached Katherine's floor. Billy opened the gate ushering her out. Before the doors closed he reminded her, "Now remember, just ask for Billy if you need anything. Anything at all Miss. See you later."

The doors swished closed before she could say anything. Swallowing an uncomfortable boulder in her throat she opened the door to her offices. At least hers in the sense that her name was on the deed along with Mr. Fontaine's she would guess now that her father's illegal transaction came to light.

Three men were standing in front of the assistant's desk. They all turned at her entrance. Mr. Fontaine murmured something to the other two men, which they seemed to give objections to, as they gestured with their hands. In the end he must have won since the other two left without even an introduction. Katherine raised her chin at this rude behavior. He should have introduced them to her. She swallowed the uncomfortable notion that he did not think she was worthy or being introduced to his colleagues.

Mr. Fontaine gave her a hot searing look. For a moment she thought it was a look like Matthew gave one of the women he was pursuing with lustful intentions. When he immediately turned from her she realized she must have been mistaken. The rude man had turned away from her without even introducing his associates, or greeting her himself. If they had any dealings with anything she held an interest in, that made them her employees, or business associates as well.

At least he did not leave her totally alone. He stayed by the desk shuffling papers, picking one up to glance over it from time to time.

With his back to her he continued to shuffle through papers speaking finally, but with his back still facing her, "Well Miss Montgomery what can I do for you? I did not expect to see you here again, at least not so soon." Erik had hoped not to see her for quite some time. He wished to get this confounded attraction he felt under control. He had to at last admit he was in some small, miniscule way attracted to her. The papers in his hands were shaking from the trembling in his hands. The palms of his hands were getting clammy. He was sure he felt moisture popping out on his forehead. Perhaps he was ill. Maybe it had nothing whatsoever to do with Miss Montgomery's presence.

"Where is Arthur? I wanted to have him help me with some projects I have in mind. I thought he might be able to give me information about the last eight years."

"Mr. Pendleton has taken his lunch break. Perhaps I could assist you in some way? Anything that has to do with the opera house is of interest to me." Erik resented her for having controlling interest in something he wanted to take complete possession of, then, change the name of the building so he ended up with his opera house.

Katherine's chin rose a degree higher as he maintained his position of speaking with his back to her. The man was insufferably rude. "Why would you think I would not come to my own business? The theatre is part of what I own. I would like to inspect it and speak with the employees to get a feel for the place. As for you helping me, I very much doubt your motives in such an endeavor."

"You insult me Miss Montgomery. What makes you think I would not be willing to assist you in any way that I can? The New Richmond Opera House is being well taken care of I can assure you. I have taken over the reins personally."

"It is a theatre. The Richmond Royal Theatre to be precise, as I am the principal shareholder I do believe it is my prerogative to check in whenever I wish to do so. I do not believe I need your permission to come and go as I please." Katherine was very proud of the leaps she had taken in her vocabulary. For some reason she felt the need to impress Mr. Fontaine with her knowledge.

"My opera house does not need another overseer, especially a wo…." Erik caught himself a little too late into the sentence.

"A woman, Mr. Fontaine, was that what you were going to say? It may have escaped your notice but a man nearly ran the theatre into the ground. Perhaps a woman at the helm is exactly what this business needs." She smiled in triumph for having won the point.

"This opera house is..." Katherine interrupted Erik again before he could finish what he wanted to say.

"Theatre, Mr. Fontaine." Katherine smiled in challenge as she folded her arms across her chest in a manner Gamm would have deplored. It was not how a lady should stand. "Theatre, it is a theatre. That is why it is called The Richmond Royal Theatre. I would think a man of your intelligence would know that and be able to remember that."

Erik had turned away from the damn woman as his body reacted from the memory of his dreams upon hearing her voice. He had kept his back to her until such time he could face her without causing himself any humiliation. Her steadfast refusal to think of the theatre as an opera house drove out his libidinous thoughts. He wanted his opera house and come hell or high water, he would have it.

When he turned to her Katherine stepped back at his sudden movement. Her breath caught then released only to have her heart race while she could not seem to inhale quickly enough to satisfy her lungs. Her chest rose and fell in rapid succession. She was sure her upper lip was coated with the moisture of perspiration. Taking her handkerchief she raised it to her mouth. Under the guise of coughing she surreptitiously wiped her upper lip. Replacing her handkerchief in her bag she pulled the drawstrings together with a jerk from both of her hands. She placed her hand over her heart in an attempt to slow the pounding in her chest.

The movement of her hand drew his eyes. Erik's gaze drifted down to the straining bodice of her gown. He could see he disturbed her. He wondered if it was dislike for him causing her distress or if she felt the same sensual fascination for him that he had for her. In his mind he had bedded her so many times already. If he did not make it a reality soon he may well lose his sanity once more. Erik had not been with a woman in over a month. For him that was a long dry spell since he had come into his own as a sexual participant instead of merely an observer.

Erik pulled his wayward thoughts to a stop. What the hell was he thinking? This woman was nothing to him other than an irritating fly buzzing around his head. He could not control his dreams, but he would be damned if he let her take over his conscious thoughts. He was not interested in her. He could not control his body's reaction to her just as he could not control his dreams. He consoled himself with the knowledge that any red-blooded male would react to her just as intensely as he had. That thought did not appease him for long as it brought his mind back to the fact that Raoul now lived with her along with her so called brother. From those two men his contemplating took wing in the direction of Nadir and Darius. They had not really met her, but they had seen her, and looked quite avidly in her direction, damn them.

The thought of going to one of his many women who kept a door open for him did not even enter his mind. Katherine had begun to possess most of his conscious thoughts as well as his unconscious mind. Once in a while Christine came to his mind. Memories were mostly what came to him concerning Christine. One would think after yearning for her for so many years he would be consumed with making her his own. He did still wear the ring, although he no longer touched it throughout the day. He was hardly aware he still wore it. If he gave it some thought he might come to the conclusion he wore it out of habit more than need or love as once was the case.

Erik drew his gaze back up to catch Katherine eyeing him as intently as he had been eyeing her. It was hard to say later who made the first move. Neither one would admit to being the first to move if anyone had asked, or to moving at all. Eyes locked upon one another they drew closer together. When they were only a few inches apart their heads began to move toward each other. Erik's head began to dip down toward Katherine's with his eyes locked hungrily on her lips.

Neither looked away, both seemed to require a great lungful of air. Rapid breaths could be heard. Their lips were within a couple of inches of touching when the door to Erik's office opened just down the hallway. Nadir stepped out holding a sheaf of papers. Not looking up he asked, "Erik could you spare me a few moments? I hate to interrupt, but this is somewhat important." Nadir finally looked up unaware he had disturbed them in a near intimate moment until he saw the quick jerking back of their heads and quick steps they took away from one another.

They had been extraordinarily close to one another. If he was not mistaken it did indeed look as though they had been about to kiss. Had they been just shy of touching lips? They had been that close. Nadir had not missed Erik's head jerking upward as well as back from the woman in front of him. That would indicate he had been in the process of lowering his head. Since Nadir had long ago given up the notion Erik was a vampire, he did not think biting her in the neck had been his goal.

They had quickly stepped back from one another. By the time Nadir looked at them intently, to study them more closely, Erik was pushing around the papers on his now absent, assistant's desk. He saw that Miss Montgomery was quite agitated. Her cheeks were quite flushed. She was biting at her lower lip while her hands fiddled with her gloves and twisted the drawstrings of her cloth bag. She looked everywhere except in Erik's direction.

Looking from one to the other Nadir began to wonder just what he had interrupted. Had a kiss already been exchanged? Taking a closer look at Erik he saw that he had a slight tinge of high color to his cheeks. Recalling how extremely close they had been they had either been about to kiss or were in the middle of a heated argument. Since Nadir had not heard one word issuing from either party he began to suspect the former was the case. Yes indeed he was convinced they had been close to kissing if he had not interrupted them. Perhaps the deed had even already been executed. Mentally Nadir rubbed his hands together.

"We can do this later if you would like to continue your," a short pause then he continued, "**_discussion_**." Erik's head snapped toward Nadir at the emphasis on his last word. He narrowed his eyes threateningly at Nadir who seemed oblivious to any such threat.

Erik cleared his throat hoping his voice when he spoke did not contain any of the sexual tension he felt in every nerve of his body. "I believe Miss Montgomery and I were finished, unless you have anything further?" He dared her to contradict him. Katherine was oblivious to his threat just as Nadir had been, as her mind was still reeling from what had almost happened. What would surely have taken place if this Mr. Nadir person, had not interrupted them when he had at just that moment.

Katherine began to question her sanity. How could she have even contemplated kissing such a pigheaded man, someone so chauvinistic? Briefly she wondered if she had chosen the correct word. Having reassured herself she had, she continued mentally berating herself. He had the manners of a camp dog. That moment when she had felt that irresistible pull toward him had been an aberration. It would not happen again.

Erik's irritated voice asking her a question broke her silent reverie. "Miss Montgomery if there is nothing else I would like to continue with my work. It would seem your father has created somewhat of a financial maze for me to work my way through. Just let me make this perfectly clear Miss Montgomery, I will not give up any ownership in any of my recent acquisitions. That includes The Richmond Royal Theatre, soon to be The Richmond Royal Opera House."

He did not need to tell her that her father had already signed over his shares of the whole building to him. He was still working on the warehouses and the other property located around the city. One of which was an apartment that Katherine and her father had shared interest in. Erik would not mind having that apartment as a place he could entertain his women friends for an evening.

"No, no I believe we have concluded our business." Katherine was much too confused to argue with him at the moment. She did not correct his use of the words **_opera house_** instead of theatre.

She would take herself to lunch while she sorted through all that had happened. All she needed to do was sit quietly for a few minutes and gather her wits about her. He meant nothing to her, absolutely nothing, other than an irritation in her business. She did not find him attractive in the least. Her dream self may find him irresistible but she did not. Inside her mind shouted loud and clear, **_liar._**

"What exactly was the business matter you wanted to discuss? We seemed to have gotten off track as to the nature of your visit." Erik looked at her quizzically. Katherine scrambled around in her mind to recall what had been her intention when she came here today. Not one intelligent thought came to mind. Her traitorous mind was much too focused on remembering when Mr. Fontaine's lips had been bare inches away from hers. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her face as he had neared just as if it were happening again. Giving herself a mental shake she scolded herself inwardly. She had to stop this kind of thinking right now. Good heavens what if she had actually let him kiss her? The frightening realization was, she would have welcomed his lips on hers. She would even have participated in the exchange. He cheeks reddened with this knowledge. She turned away from him, not willing to let him see how discomfited she was in his presence.

Her body all too willingly reacted to the memory. Her nipples tightened in response. She resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest. This was not how a lady behaved. She should not be entertaining anything so...well so scandalous. Especially with a man she hardly knew, and one that she disliked for the little she did know about him.

Forcing herself to turn and face the two men she bid them an abrupt farewell. She quickly made her way out of the office. Instead of waiting for that contraption to come up she took the stairs. She hoped the physical exercise would take her mind off of a certain infuriating, although be it, attractive man. It did not work as well as she had hoped. She ran past Billy who had been standing by the information desk.

Once outside in the sunshine and she breathed fresh air she calmed somewhat. She would swear the man's scent was forever imbedded inside her nose and his sensual voice was branded on her mind. As her head cleared she recalled how rude she had been. She had not even waited to be introduced to that man Nadir. She had fled past Billy without so much as a good-day after all his kindness.

To make up for her behavior she would have two complimentary tickets set aside for Billy for the performance by the Saturday night symphony. Every week there was not a play or opera being performed musical presentations were presented to keep money flowing in as well as an interest in the theatre. Raoul had gone over many aspects of all she owned.

She did not know if that man Nadir was a drinking man or not, she would bet he was if he had to deal with Mr. Fontaine on a regular basis. In any case she had sent him a bottle of the finest brandy with an apologetic note for being so rude by not introducing herself or even making an inquiry as to his name. She only knew him as Nadir. Whether that was his first name or last she was unsure.

Entering the theatre she went to the little window which had a sign stating they were open. She approached the opening. Tiptoeing she leaned over the little counter to call out, "Hello? Is anyone here?" She did not want to call too loudly fearing her words would echo around in the lobby, as the ceiling was quite high and it was deserted.

A young man's head popped around the open door just behind the counter. The ticket office was not that big of an area. If she had sit back there for any length of time she would be leaving her position many times over the course of the day. She would not reprimand this person for seeking a little space.

"How may I help you Miss?" The young man eyed her appreciatively. He stood a bit taller as he straightened his jacket and tie.

"I hope you can. I am Miss Katherine Montgomery. I shall be taking a somewhat greater interest in the theatre than I have recently. As for how you can help today, I need two of our best seats. If you would be so kind, please place a note with the tickets that complimentary refreshments are to be given as well I would appreciate it greatly. If you would be so kind as to give me a piece of paper so I could write a note that would be wonderful."

Hells bells, this was the woman the upper echelon was gossiping about. What a real treat this was. Yes a real treat. Damn if she wasn't the best looking woman he had seen in….well, in forever. Wait until he told the guys tonight at the poker game.

"Well Miss Montgomery let me be the first to welcome you to the theatre." Realizing this was not only a good-looking woman, but one who could fire him for deserting his post. Glancing behind him he gestured over his shoulder with his thumb as he said, "Hope you don't mind, Miss Montgomery, but it gets a bit claustrophobic in here at times. I step out into the hallway to take a few refreshing breaths." He bent down under the counter handing her a pen and paper. While Katherine was writing her note he went to the metal box that held all the tickets. He chose two he considered the best.

Katherine instructed him to take the note to Billy Jefferson, the young man who operated the elevator in the annex building. Robert, the young man behind the counter grinned with glee. He and Billy were best friends. They would be seeing each other tonight at the game. They would have plenty to hash over tonight. Robert assured Katherine he'd take care of everything.

The liquor store was happy to serve her. The owner an immigrant saw no difference in the money from one person as opposed to another. his outlook in this matter carried over into his belief that people were pretty much the same once the language and customers barriers were knocked down. When Katherine chose the most expensive bottle in the store he saw his daughters getting those piano lessons they had been wanting.

Having eased her conscience with these two gifts she made her way to Raoul's hotel. After her experience on her first visit to town, Katherine thought it might save everyone some discomfort if she went where she was sure of her welcome. Raoul she knew had made threats to his employees, even if he did not say anything to her about it. The change in attitude would indicate he had a hand in adjusting their attitudes in some way. At least it gave her a place to go when in town other than the theatre where she knew she would be welcome. At least if Mr. Fontaine were not present. She had only ventured into the auditorium once. She had met a few of the people. Everyone seemed nice enough. At least she had heard no outright disparagement from anyone. Today, meeting Robert had been pleasant. He had been quite cordial. Of course she held the jobs of all these people in her hands. They have to be pleasant to her.

Deciding to push all thoughts of business, the theatre and most assuredly Mr. Fontaine from her mind, Katherine took the seat at the table the waiter had shown her. If a certain attractive face along with an equally mesmerizing voice entered her thoughts she chased them away. She could not chase the image of his body pressed firmly to hers as she lay on top of him nor the kiss that almost happened, but had gotten interrupted in the nick of time.

Erik was battling his own recollections of what had nearly taken place earlier. He was seated in his office, the office that had once been Daniel's. Since the day of the confrontation, Daniel had made himself scarce, which in Erik's opinion was for the best. The man had no real part in any of the business now. Since Katherine came back and reclaimed her shares, Erik had simply forced Daniel to sign over his forty- seven percent of the building, which included the theatre. Now if he could convince Hayden to sell him his three percent Erik would have equal control of the theatre and the businesses.

If that woman was going to be taking over Daniel's office Erik wanted to be able to keep track of what she did in there. He could think of only one way to do that without being present. He would install one of his two-way mirrors. He had never made one quite as small as it would have to be to fit behind the mirror that was hanging on the wall at present. Yes, that would work quite nicely. Nadir did not need to know he had taken to spying again. Well really he never had stopped. If something caught his interest he made it his business to know what was going on.

Erik's mind turned to contemplating ways to sway the young man to see the benefit of selling to him. Hayden's godfather had been asking Erik for the last few months to contract as a financial advisor to the governor's planning commission. It would seem the governor had noticed his financial successes. The rate of rebuilding in Virginia was moving at an astounding rate. Projects needed financial overseers to make sure the money was spent in the most lucrative way possible. Erik was seen as an expert even if he had no credentials to support such a label. The governor was pushing for more aid to the mentally handicapped. His programs for bringing public schools forward were well known. He even supported the education of teachers who would later bring education to children.

The man had many things to recommend him. As of yet he had no scandals rattling around in his closet waiting to be freed for public censure. Perhaps Erik would throw his hat into the political arena even if it was only as a non-titled advisor. In the communications he had received it had been hinted that if he aligned himself with Governor John J. Jacob certain concessions could be made in business matters. This had been offered by an underling, but Erik had no need for any shady dealings. He was intelligent enough to make things happen without resorting to blackmail or threats. At least lately that had been the case.

Considering Katherine's current slight discontent with him he may have to revert to his old habits to win control of the theatre, soon to be opera house. He wondered briefly if she would be susceptible to his hypnotizing voice, as Christine and others had been? A smile slid across his face as his mind drifted into fantasyland.

Nadir had been sitting across from Erik for the last twenty minutes watching as Erik sifted through his thoughts. His facial expression changed little so his thoughts were not of the violent nature. He was not planning on eliminating Katherine or anyone he deemed in his way to get what he wanted. Erik had been quite preoccupied with this new woman. He had not said much after his first few days of angry ranting, other than she was an irritating thorn in his paw. Perhaps this little distraction was just what Erik needed to keep his mind off of his former love. A love Nadir deemed to equal a bouquet of flowers that hid a viper. Christine was not what Erik needed. She had only been beneficial to him when she was younger and needed him just as he needed her. Once Erik realized she was a young woman he should have left her alone. He had let his emotions rule his heart and head to a disastrous end.

Erik would not at that time listen to anyone. In the intervening years Erik had come to the realization his obsession with Christine had not been all that healthy or indeed founded in any real love. Not the kind of love a man and woman should have for the one who will nurture their soul. They had shared a destructive type of love that had taken what little sanity and humanity Erik had left. In the throes of his passion with her he had lost himself. She had been all he cared about. Nadir did not want to see Erik fall into that trap again. Not now when he had come so far.

"So Erik, what do you think of your new partner?" Nadir was hoping all the vocalizing Erik had been doing over Katherine Montgomery meant more than he had been infuriated with her for her part in the dent to his ego. Nadir and Darius both had ideas what was going on behind all Erik's loud protestations. He did seem to protest a bit too much as the old saying went, well that was the gist of the saying anyway.

Nadir's question brought Erik's focus away from his inner retrospection. Erik did not wish to delve to deeply into what his feelings for Katherine were just yet so he played ignorant, "Who, Daniel?" He leaned forward looking as if he were interested in the papers before him. If Nadir asked what was printed on the papers he could not have said.

"The young woman who was in here less than a half an hour ago, the one you were nose to nose with when I interrupted you. If one were to make an observation it looked suspiciously close to a kiss to me. If one were inclined to speculate on the matter."

"We...I was...she and I...Damn it we were not about to kiss. Why I...I dislike the woman completely. She...I...we can hardly be in the same room without getting on one another's nerves." Erik cursed his floundering speech. It would seem he had developed a speech impediment, no doubt caused by that woman. This along with the tremors and sweating gave him cause to believe he was allergic to Miss Montgomery or something about her person. For all his intelligence it did not strike him as odd that he was having trouble speaking even though the supposed cause of his symptoms was not present.

Erik could have embraced his assistant when he knocked on the door. He was carrying a wrapped gift that was obviously a bottle of some type of alcoholic beverage. Since Nadir was not really a drinking man Erik assumed it had been sent by one of his women in an attempt to remind him of their existence. Erik stood to take the gift from Arthur's hand. Instead of approaching the desk Arthur went to Nadir's chair and stood in front of him offering the wrapped gift.

"A deliveryman left this for you Mr. Khan."

After Arthur left Erik waited patiently for about twenty seconds then asked, "Well who is it from? Do you have some woman I do not know about?"

Nadir read the note then smiled as he folded it, then, stuck it in his pocket. He unwrapped the gift, his brows rose at the bottle of brandy. The brand guaranteed it was of good quality. It also allowed him to know how much Katherine had paid as it was the brand Erik enjoyed as well as himself once in a while.

"Well?" Erik was irritated that Nadir was keeping something from him. He had to force himself not to tackle Nadir and rest the note from his pocket. He liked his own secrets while hating the fact that others kept them from him.

"Well what my friend?" Nadir had trouble keeping the knowing smile from curving his lips.

"Who sent you such an expensive gift?" Nadir looked like the cat that ate the canary.

"Well if you must know, Mr. I want to know everything while telling nothing, I will tell you." He paused to admire the bottle knowing he was prodding a tiger once again, but it was so seldom he got to tease Erik with anything. It occurred to him a shot would go down pretty smoothly about now. Erik had been particularly irritating of late. He had been out of sorts for some reason not discernable by either Nadir or Darius, other than the fact that Daniel Montgomery had committed an act of larceny by selling him business interests he had no right to sell, at least not his daughter's shares. Nadir was beginning to suspect Erik's temper had more to do with a certain recently returned young woman, who was not Christine. It was all Nadir could do not to jump for joy at the thought of it.

"I am glad you have finally concluded it is useless to try to hide anything from me, now quite stalling. Tell me who sent my brand of brandy to you?"

"Miss Montgomery." Nadir's stark answer took Erik completely by surprise. A streak of some long forgotten emotion gripped him as he looked from the bottle in Nadir's hands to his face. The self-satisfied look on Nadir's face rankled Erik as much as the knowledge that Katherine had taken the time to personally choose a gift for someone who...well someone other than himself. He quickly denied to himself any such objection or slight feeling of jealousy he thought he might be experiencing. That unknown emotion he had felt earlier he would not label as jealousy. It had been three years since he had felt that emotion for any other person. It took him completely by surprise that he was feeling such a strong emotion for a woman he had only met a couple of times and knew not at all.

"What? Who? Why? Why would she send you a gift?" He very much wanted to add, **_and not me_**, to the end of that, but he refrained.

Nadir was enthralled by Erik's loss of eloquence. "Yes indeed it is from that young woman. Perhaps she discerned my charm from our brief meeting. She is such a beautiful and charming young woman." Nadir could not help his tendency to poke the tiger again. He really should not, but he so seldom got the chance as Erik rarely showed any emotions about anything other than business or music.

"But...but you do not know her. You...you have not been seeing her without informing me, have you?" Erik glared suspiciously at Nadir. If Nadir had been seeing her behind his back there would be hell to pay, was what Erik was thinking. Why he should feel betrayed or even the least upset by the thought of Nadir seeing Katherine, he knew was ridiculous just as he knew the emotions were there all the same.

"Erik if I were seeing her or any other woman I would not be obliged to inform you. As it will drive you to distraction I will tell you, besides if I do not you will simply invade my privacy looking for any scrap of evidence until you learn all you need to know. I am not now nor have I ever been seeing that young woman. I do wonder if she would be open to an invitation to dinner if I were to ask." Nadir watched for Erik's reaction to his question. He did not have long to wait.

"You...you had best stay away from her. She...I..." Erik could find not one legitimate reason for his objection. His eloquence in speaking seemed to have deserted him yet again.

"Erik I do believe this is the first time I have ever seen you unable to express just exactly what you mean. You are a man who knows how to make his opinions felt and heard. Does this lack of the ability to express simple thought indicate you yourself might have an interest in the young woman?"

Erik began his useless shuffling of papers as he replied with assumed nonchalance before he replied a bit disjointedly, "Do not be ridiculous. That woman...well she and I can barely stand one another. To think that I...that she...Well damn it are you going to sit here all day wasting time? It is a good thing I do not pay you an hourly wage. I would have just wasted a good two hours on this trivial matter. Shall we continue with more important matters instead of idiotic speculation as to whether or not, I may or may not have an interest in some beautiful woman I barely even know?"

"Ah, so you think she is a beautiful woman?" Nadir looked at his watch then smiled as said, "According to my watch we have only been in here for a little over an hour, most of that time you were in meditation. If you spent your private time thinking of the woman am I to blame?"

Erik ignored his last remarks as if he had suddenly been struck with deafness. Suspecting his conversation had ended Nadir said he would return to his own office to finish his work as Erik was so busy all of a sudden.

As Nadir stood up he realized the bottle of brandy he had set on the edge of the desk had mysteriously disappeared. It could only have been taken by Erik. Nadir could have teased him further with this display of childishness, but he felt he had pushed Erik enough for today. A little more and Erik may well let loose his temper. Nadir left the missing bottle as an unexplored and unexplained mystery.

**A/N: As always reviews are welcomed. Please let me know what you like or didn't like about this chapter. The next ten or fifteen are already written but small things can be changed. I look forward to reading your reviews.**


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N: I've had this chapter twenty-nine written for months now, along with a dozen or so others. A reader, Timeflies suggest I have Nadir and Katherine have a lunch or something that makes Erik punch Nadir. Well I couldn't fit that big of a change in things but I did go back and incorporate a little of what she wanted. I just really liked the idea of Erik being jealous of any man who comes even close to Katherine. Hope I did you justice Timeflies. **

**Chapter Twenty-nine**

**Jealousy **

The day after her visit to the office Katherine was opening the mail when she came across a letter with elegant writing on the envelope. She held it to her nose. It smelled of some man's cologne. It was a spicy scent, not something a woman would wear, but a scent she would find pleasing on a man. A masculine scent, yes that how best to describe it.

Smiling in anticipation of perhaps a letter from Raoul, she slit the envelope open. She pulled out the paper. Unfolding it she read what was written in bold script. Clearly it was a man's handwriting, a man confident in his words being welcomed.

The letter was not from Raoul as she had expected. It was from Nadir, Nadir Khan to be exact. She finally knew what his last name was. He was thanking her for her thoughtful gift. He was also extending an invitation to Katherine to have lunch with him the day after tomorrow if she would be available.

He asked that she invite anyone along as chaperone if she felt the need. He all but pleaded with her to accept his invitation. Katherine was flattered. Smiling broadly she wiped her napkin across her lips then flew up the stairs to her room. Once there she lost no time writing out her acceptance. She told him she would be honored to have lunch with such a handsome, charming man. She gave a time she would arrive at the office.

Not giving herself time to change her mind, Katherine rang for one of the maids. When she came Katherine told her to have Martin take the letter to town directly. Once her mind was made up Katherine found she was excited about her date. Was it a date? She clasped her hands together in excitement. Her first real date with a man, well she had gone to lunch then shopping with Raoul. That was more of a rescue than a date.

When Martin arrived there was no one in the outer office. He tapped his hand on the little bell. A door down the hallway opened as a tall gentleman, wearing of all things a leather mask, came toward him.

"May I be of some service to you?" This had to be the man Katherine had told them was Mr. Montgomery's partner, or rather ex-partner now. Mr. de Chagny had told him of the man in aside, once he was going to be leaving Miss Katherine alone the day he had rescued her. He had warned Martin to watch her carefully if the man approached her. Martin drew himself up to his full height.

"I have a note from Miss Katherine for Mr. Khan. It is a reply to his letter she received this morning. Might the gentleman be around?"

Erik was not about to tell him Nadir had only stepped next door. The dirty bastard had written her a letter behind his back. Erik could think of no good reason right off hand why Nadir should not be free to write to anyone he wished. If he gave himself a moment he could think of something.

"You may leave the message here on Mr. Pendleton's desk. When he returns from lunch he will make sure Mr. Khan receives it without delay." Erik was thinking that it might get to Nadir, but not before he got to read it himself first. The backstabber deserved no privacy. Had Erik not warned him to stay away from Katherine, Miss Montgomery?

After Martin had left the note on Arthur's desk, Erik's conscience goaded him into leaving it lie on the desk untouched. He walked by that damn desk so many times he could estimate down to the second how long it took to walk from his office to that tempting white envelope.

When Nadir returned Erik followed him into his office. He wanted to be present when Arthur returned and gave Nadir the note. He knew Nadir would need some sort of explanation as to why he was in his office as Erik did not pay social calls during business hours. He hoped he could come up with some legitimate reason for being here.

Nadir turned in surprise as the door opened just seconds after he closed it. "Ah, Erik, what can I do for you? Is there something I need to be taking care of right now? If this is about those recent robberies Darius and I have not gone through all the paperwork yet. We should have a list compiled no later than tomorrow of all that is missing."

Erik was relieved to hear the knock on the door as it prevented him from racking his brain to come up with a reason he would need to speak urgently with Nadir. He had nothing available just at the moment. Arthur had saved him once again.

"Pardon me sirs, but this was on my desk when I returned from lunch. It is for Mr. Khan." Arthur crossed over and handed the note to Nadir. Erik wanted to snatch the note from his hand but he restrained himself. He sat down nonchalantly, as if he all the time in the world with no worries at present. Inside he was seething. Could Nadir possibly be any slower opening the damn envelope?

Nadir sat down behind his desk as he read what Katherine had written. He smiled in satisfaction then folded the note putting it in his pocket. He leaned back in his chair with his hands folded on his desk in front of him. He waited to see what Erik would say. He did not have long to wait.

"Well? What did she say?" Nadir's self-satisfied look did not set well with Erik. For the first time in their acquaintance Erik feared Nadir was in danger of being harmed by his hand knowingly. The time he was fevered and distraught after the disaster did not count.

It was all he could do to keep himself from reaching across the desk and pulling Nadir across the top of the mahogany desktop to land with a resounding thud on the floor at Erik's feet. Once that had been accomplished Erik would then dearly love to smash Nadir's handsome face with a well aimed blow from his fist. Where all this sudden violent reaction to his old friend was coming from Erik did not know. He only knew it was there.

"Erik did I not make it clear that I do not need to inform you when I am seeking the company of a woman? I do not need nor want your comments. Perhaps I shall take a page from your book and lure the woman to my bed foregoing all the tediousness of courtship."

Neither one could say who was the more surprised when the crystal paperweight suddenly went flying against the wall behind Nadir. Luckily Erik had aimed just to the side of the big glass window.

They stared at one another in silence for a few seconds. An unspoken message, a pleading in one man's eyes to the other passed silently from one to the other. Nothing further needed to be said. Nadir calmly sat down, took out pen, paper and an envelope as he calmly stated, "I do believe I shall have to rescind my offer of lunch with Miss Montgomery. I do seem to remember Darius mentioned needing to go over some new information with me."

"I will send Arthur for the janitor to clean up the mess. I did manage to kill that pesky fly on your wall though." Having satisfied his curiosity and also getting Nadir to see things his way, Erik left Nadir alone in his office. He left a little ashamed to have threatened his old friend, even if was only silently, well except for the glass globe. There had been a fly on the wall. Even if he had not intentionally aimed at it he had killed it all the same. Better the fly than Nadir.

Curiosity got the better of Nadir as soon as the door closed behind Erik. Standing up he pushed his chair away so he could go to look at the spot the glass globe had hit the wall. Sure enough, there were the remnants of what was once a fly.

Nadir sat down to write his apologies to Katherine. He was beginning to think he might never be properly introduced to that young woman. He thought it might be as well not to offer another time they might meet, although he did mention that perhaps Katherine might like to lunch with all her recent upper level management as a way to get to know everyone. They could have it catered as a special introduction to everyone. It could be held in the boardroom. If he and Erik were included, well that was most fortuitous.

Nadir mentally reminded himself he must be more careful when trying to test Erik's attractions for Miss Montgomery. Erik may deny his attractions for Katherine but he was a normal man with a normal man's reactions to a beautiful woman. He may not even be aware how deeply his emotions were involved as of yet. Nadir was beginning to suspect that Erik might have more than a passing attraction for this new young woman in his life.

Nadir could not see Erik coming to such instant and red hot anger over a passing attraction. He would simply move on to the next willing woman. He had no shortage of women waiting to win his favor.

Erik had returned to his office shutting the door softly behind him, in direct contrast to the anger he had thrown that glass globe against the wall. He sighed heavily, leaning back against the door. What was wrong with him?

He had never felt such anger toward Nadir, not even when Nadir was lecturing him or scolding him for his poor behavior. Not since Erik had been jealous of Raoul had he felt such an emotion as he felt when Nadir had made those comments about Katherine. Was he jealous? No, it was not possible. He wanted Christine and only Christine. He had not been jealous at all. It had only been anger that Nadir seemed to want to fraternize with his enemy. That was all it was. Nothing more, just anger at Nadir's traitorous offer of friendship to one of Erik's enemies. His mind baulked at the word enemy. His conscious was whispering in the back of his mind that he was lying to himself.

Katherine was a little hurt by the message Nadir sent. Shortly after the feelings of rejection her anger began to boil. She felt that horrible Mr. Fontaine had a hand in this. Nadir was not the kind of man to forget a business meeting. Perhaps Mr. Fontaine had invented one just so Nadir would have to cancel their lunch date.

Well she would not dwell on him and his petty behavior. She had to think about how to inform everyone about the new houseguests that would be arriving soon. She was putting it off hoping everything would soon settle down. Her father was a real fly in the oatmeal.

His disruptive influence was becoming wearing. Katherine was afraid one of his disparaging remarks made in Matthew's hearing would cause trouble. Matthew had a hatred for her father that he did not try to hide when in the presence of the man. The fact that Daniel could not cowl Matthew made Daniel dislike Matthew all the more.

Matthew's intervention into several altercations between Katherine and her father had been curtailed just before they could get out of hand. Katherine began to believe her father might physically attack her if Matthew or Martin were not always close at hand.

By luck or design Katherine never seemed to be alone when Daniel made any of his rare visits to the main house. He was trying to wear Katherine down. He always brought the papers he wanted her to sign, giving him full control of all her shares in the businesses and her shares in the theatre. Why he thought Katherine would do such a thing knowing how careless he had been before with her holdings she could not fathom.

Something would have to be done soon. This continual unrest was beginning to wear on everyone's nerves. Katherine resolved to speak with her father at the first opportunity. That opportunity would come sooner than she would have thought and in a way she would not have wished.

While Katherine worried about her father, Erik worried about his feelings for Katherine. When he went to bed he deliberately brought Christine's image to his mind. It took longer than he thought for his flesh to harden. Just a few months ago he could think of her and his manhood all but leapt from his trousers.

His hand massaged along his length as he thought of entering Katherine. How hot and moist she would be, how tight her virginal body would be. Erik's hand stilled, in mid stroke on his throbbing manhood from the shock of his thoughts. Katherine, virginal, where had those thoughts come from? He had been thinking of Christine.

Even as his mind searched for answers his libido seemed to know all it needed as his hand began to stroke the hard flesh he had his fingers wrapped around. Erik decided to let his mind have free reign. If he thought of Katherine instead of Christine it only meant he was attracted to her. Why would he not have fantasies about her? Any man would. God damned Nadir better stay away from her if he knew what was good for him.

Erik did not seem to mind that Raoul had been living with Christine even after she supposedly had separated from him, yet the mere thought of Katherine sharing an innocent meal with Nadir had him wanted to strangle his longtime friend with his bare hands.

Pushing all other thoughts away Erik fantasized about Katherine's cries of pleasure as he brought her to climax. Groaning with that thought and picture in his mind Erik came to his own pleasurable end. As he lay breathing heavily his mind wandered to what her creamy skin would like without clothing. What would it taste like, fell like? He knew how she smelled. Her scent was embedded in his memory.

Damn if his thoughts did not bring him to readiness for another bout of pleasure. That was a first. Never before had he lingered after he had pleasured himself with thoughts of the object of his temporary desire. He usually fell into a deep peaceful sleep after such an activity.

Ah well, who was he to rail against the gifts fate bestowed on him? He gave himself over to another round of Katherine's virginal delights. If this was the most erotic, satisfying self-pleasuring he had ever experienced he blocked his mind as to the reason why.

**A/N: This is just a short chapter to give a reader a little of what she wanted. I will post the original chapter that would have been here tomorrow. So you get two chapters instead of one. As my reward please leave me a review. **


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

**Old Loves, New Loves**

Katherine had kept the visits to the office to herself for a few days. She had not at first told them about her meeting with Raoul. She had only divulged how everyone had treated her. She did not want to upset everyone with everything at once. She had no worries about her father telling anything that happened. He no longer even spoke to her. His housekeeper provided all his meals. When his money ran out that woman would not be staying.

A particularly bitter encounter with her father over her shares in the business, the theatre in particular had grown from a somewhat uncomfortable conversation to an outright attack by her father. Daniel had been so frustrated and fearful of losing his standing in the community that he had resorted to threats toward Katherine trying to force her to sign a paper giving him full control of everything except her trust fund. His usual attempts to get her to sign were more a nagging than anything threatening. Perhaps that had been due more to the fact that Matthew or Martin always seemed to be close at hand.

This particular evening Martin had a date and Matthew had gone to the stables to check on a mare that was due to foal.

Katherine had refused once again to sign. After much name calling that had escalated with each passing second, Gamm had sent Fawn to bring Matthew back to the house. Daniel had been striking Katherine with his fist upon her arms that she had placed protectively over her head. She could have defended herself, but some long ingrained memory of her mother telling her to always respect her father would not allow her to raise her hand to him.

Matthew had come in pulling Daniel away from Katherine. Matthew had hit Daniel once in the face with his fist. Daniel had gone sprawling across the room landing with a thud. He was unconscious before he hit the floor. After kneeling to check on Katherine Matthew had begun to get to his feet, so that he might deliver a few more blows, but Katherine had grabbed his arm before he could leave her. She told him her father was not worth Matthew getting into trouble.

Katherine had picked herself up with Matthew's help. She wiped the blood from her lip where her father had struck the first blow. She instructed Jackson and Gamm to pack every scrap her father had in the guesthouse. She then told them she wanted him deposited in town at the apartment. Whoever took him to town was to make sure he was conscious before they left so that they could be sure he understood what they were telling him. Her father was to be told not to set foot on the estate again. His things at the office and theatre would be sent on to him. He was not welcome in either place again. He could stay in the apartment until he decided what he wanted to do. Katherine would be contacting a lawyer, one of her choice to draw up papers stating that he was selling his complete interest in all businesses they owned jointly. He need not see her again. Everything would be handled by her lawyer and his own as well.

If he ignored Katherine's wishes, she would make sure every illegal action he had ever committed would come to light. Not only the things he had done recently, but anything they could find in the records would be sent on to the prosecuting attorney's office.

Mrs. Graham volunteered to go with the stable boy to make sure Daniel got every word of Katherine's message and understood each word and syllable. Things had been expedited rather quickly. After bathing and getting into bed, Katherine could find not one tiny bit of respect or affection for her father. She was as good as an orphan. With her father as her only remaining parent she would have been better off without him to begin with. She did not regret her actions, she was only a little disappointed it had taken her so long to realize the truth and accept it.

The peaceful days that followed Daniel's removal emphasized just how disruptive his personality had been on the whole household. Katherine apologized to everyone for taking so long to accept reality. No one held her responsible for her father's actions. She did not mind at all her father staying in the apartment. She wished she had thought of it sooner. This would work out so much better. It was better for everyone that he left the estate. They had nothing to say to one another anymore after that last horrible night. Soon he would learn he had no ties here and hopefully would return to Boston with Lydia and her children. Katherine did not feel anything other than relief that he would soon be gone. He was her father by birth but he had ceased to be anything closer eight years ago. Since the moment she had returned he had shown her nothing but disdain and contempt. When her father had laid his hands on her in anger, Katherine had put a period to her relationship with him.

Since that first time she had gone into the office on her own and made a complete fool of herself. Katherine had reluctantly been going into the office daily. She need not have worried about Erik as he made it clear he had no wish to speak with her. As soon as she walked in, he gave her a cursory greeting, then he went into his office, closing the door with a loud click. She was not positive, but she thought she might have heard the lock click. As if she would go into his office without an invitation. He would not come out the whole time she was there. Unless she spoke quickly before he began to move away she did not get to say anything more than good-morning.

Arthur had been kind enough to find all the information she had needed. He turned out not to be such a bad person. They worked well together. He had even told her that Mr. Khan and Mr. Marashi were working from the office in one of the warehouses for a few days. It had something to do with robberies in a couple of warehouses by the railroad.

Only one other time had Katherine and Erik had another close encounter. He had been standing by the tea trolley to pour himself a cup of tea. She had already been out once getting herself a cup. She had forgotten to add sugar. As she reached for the sugar bowel Erik reached his hand out at the same time. Their hands had collided. When they had looked at one another to apologize they had both remained silent. That dark look of desire had been in his eyes again. Before she could make a fool of herself again Katherine had excused herself to go back to the office she had made her own. She had left her cup of tea sitting on the trolley as had Erik when he regained enough composure to move. He was all too aware of those confounded tremors in is hands again. He was short of breath. Something was definitely wrong with him. Perhaps he should inquire about a competent physician. He had never been to one before. It was possible it was time he did so.

God the woman was going to drive him insane if she did not kill him first. Well he knew for certain that lust unsatisfied did not kill, but it was damn frustrating. A match in the ring might be in order soon. Beating the shit out of someone might take the edge off. Erik was not the man he had been a few years ago. He was not a ghost of a man with little confidence in his attractions. He was not completely over his past, but he could not doubt that some women had begun to show interest in more than just how deeply his pockets ran or how generous he was when removing his hands from those pockets. Why Erik did not immediately seek out one of those women was something he cared not to dwell on. If he had it might have occurred to him that perhaps he did not dislike Miss Montgomery as much as he claimed.

It was fairly clear to Nadir and Darius he felt something for her, or it would not bother him so much for him to think of her with another man. He had complained about Raoul. Even poor Hayden had run afoul of Erik's temper one day at the office. Hayden had been telling about his crush on Katherine when they were younger and their subsequent close friendship. Erik had asked Hayden if he did not have some other business to attend to other than loitering in his office. Erik had gone into his office slamming the door quite forcefully.

When Nadir and Darius expressed the desire to be properly introduced to the woman Erik had become quite surly and disagreeable toward them for the rest of the day. Erik had made some odd growling noises when Darius jested that he might pursue her as she seemed not to have any suitors. Nadir had gotten his fair share of daggers from Erik's eyes when he had encouraged Darius to make an advance toward her. Nadir's mind began to buzz with possibilities.

When Katherine had informed everyone of her expected houseguests they were cautious about allowing others to come here not knowing what their reactions would be. Matthew had folded his arms giving her a stern look a father would give a daughter who had committed some outrageous act. She had stood her ground. After explaining some of what had happened they were a little less objective to her plan. The fact that she had finally stood up to her father pleased them more than anything. The fact that she threw him out on his ear made it easier to accept the new guests. They were only sorry Katherine had to suffer any physical discomfort in the process.

Raoul and Katherine had agreed to wait a few days for things to settle down before they made any firm decisions. When she informed him of what had taken place with her father he had been appalled. Being the gentleman he was he offered to knock some sense into him if she would like. Katherine was of the opinion her father had no good sense at all. Beating him about the head would only relieve him of what little brain he had to think with now.

The last few days Katherine had been tearing through the house like a dervish. Upon presenting her plan a few days ago to the household many protests were launched. Who were these people? How did she meet them? Could they be trusted? Between her excitement over having houseguests and dealing with Erik she had been running in circles. At least it kept her mind from lingering too long on those last few moments before they had been interrupted just as they were about to kiss. She was sure they had been heading in that direction. At least she had come to that conclusion in her own mind upon reliving those few highly charged moments. Perhaps she was the only one that had been seeking a kiss. That would have been even more embarrassing if she had tried to kiss him and he had rejected her. Or worse still he had laughed at her.

She had changed her original plan concerning moving her new guests into the guesthouse. Matthew still stayed in the small room at the back of the stables. Considering he had all but taken over the management of the whole place Katherine made the decision to offer him the guesthouse. Fawn and Dove could live with him. Since no one knew Dove was not his sister nothing would be said. Her three new quests could stay in the house. Why have fifteen bedrooms if only one above the ground floors was occupied? Katherine was tired of being the only person climbing the stairs at night. Everyone else lived in the servant's quarters. No one was inclined to move. They were quite comfortable where they were.

Katherine had enticed Fawn and Dove with the temptation of choosing their own decorations and furniture for their rooms. The dresses she had ordered arrived along with the seamstress as promised. This was a woman Katherine had not met the other day. Georgina Taylor was her name. She said she had been employed in the laundry of the Embassy Hotel. One day Mr. de Chagny came in asking for the best seamstress. Susan had been presented to him. He had asked her if she would like to work in a dress shop. Who wouldn't rather be sewing seams instead of sweating over hot vats of soapy water washing other people's dirty laundry for very little pay? She told Katherine the shop's owner had fired several ladies taking Mr. de Chagny's recommendations into consideration.

Georgina had not heard anything about Katherine. If she had it wouldn't have mattered. She formed her own opinions according to how people treated her not what self-important bigots said or thought. She was poor enough to have come into some harsh words from the so called proper ladies and gentlemen of the upper classes.

Katherine and the others were having breakfast one morning when someone came to the front door. Katherine and the others heard the maid protesting loudly for someone to wait until she had been announced.

"Oh pooh, I have not seen my friend in nine years. Do you think I am going to let some overzealous maid or proper etiquette stand in my way? Move aside or I will move you." Emily Pierce started shoving her sleeves above her elbows. Her best friend she had mourned for nine years was in this house somewhere and by God no one was stopping her from seeing her. That snake of a father of Katherine's had not even mentioned Katherine's return when she and her mother had run into him last evening.

The wretch had gone and on about the wonderful investor who was saving his opera house. If he had not been so deep in his cups he probably would not have wanted them to know he was in any financial trouble. And to think Emily had wished him a good evening. Next time she saw him she would have a few very unladylike words for him.

Stalking past the now quiet maid Emily picked up the skirts of her yellow and white summer dress. Not seeing anyone who would object she ran down the hall to the kitchen where the maid told her she would find Katherine. Coming to a skidding stop just outside the door she took a moment to look at each individual. She had skipped over the tall dark man when her eyes zipped back to him. Oh my, oh my. He was a big one. If she did not have other things on her mind she would have looked much longer enjoying so much male perfection.

Her eyes alighting on the young woman who could be no other than Katherine, she squealed in girlish delight. Skipping across the room then skirting around the table she hugged Katherine from behind as she sat in her chair. A memory of laughter while playing entered Katherine's mind. Emily. This was her best friend Emily.

Standing up she turned to face her old friend. For a few seconds they just looked each other over. Then each gave an earsplitting squeal. It was if those last nine years of separation had never happened. The intervening years were stripped away. Two young girls on the cusp of womanhood replaced the now fully adult individuals.

They held each other tightly babbling about things from their past. Questions such as "Do you remember this or that? peppered the almost incoherent conversation. Katherine leaned back from her one time friend. She had worried if Emily would remember their friendship or snub her as others had. She should have known her friend better. Emily had always been a independent minded young girl. Her mother encouraged her to think for herself as well as make her own decisions.

"Oh Emily it is so good to see you. How is your mother? Does she know I have returned?" Emily's home had been like a second home for Katherine. The two girls had been friends since they were two and their mothers had joined the same women's guild.

"Oh yes indeed she does. We have been away for a couple of months visiting relatives. Duty you know. They blackmail you with threats of impending death should we not make one last visit before they pass on. This threat has been going on for the last ten years or so without one death yet. In some cases I say good riddance. Now enough of that, as I was saying we had been away, when we returned rather than go home forcing the servants to fix us a meal we went to the hotel. As you will remember whenever my mother or I get near a stove to cook a fire is usually the result. That is one thing that has remained the same."

"Oh dear me Katherine, where are our manners? We stand here going on and on while three other people remain un-introduced to me, shame on the both of us. So Katherine, introduce me to your friends." As she spoke her eyes returned to the dark haired man who looked as if his face were carved from stone. Well we'll just have to see about loosening him up, can't have such a nice looking man looking as if he had swallowed something particularly nasty.

"Emily this is Fawn and Dove. Fawn and Dove are Matthew's sisters. This of course is Fawn's brother Matthew. Everyone this was...is my best friend, Emily Pierce. We knew each other since we were small little girls of two."

Emily being the exuberant extrovert rounded the table to embrace each girl in a friendly hug. She turned to the man beside them. For a moment she caught the look of concern on his face fearing she might attempt the same type of embrace with him. Her wicked nature almost got the better of her. She almost did that very thing if for no other reason than to see his reaction. Instead she offered him her hand. He looked for a moment as if she offered him something distasteful or perhaps offered him a snake. Not one to be put off she made the decision to show this man just how friendly she could be. She'd wear away his reserve like water on stone. She reached over to him grabbing his hand pumping it up and down in a manly fashion. The man was completely bewildered.

Having gotten introductions out of the way Emily proceeded to dominate the conversation. She had never known a time when she could not find something to say. Not that she was pushy or overbearing. She just knew how to make others comfortable when words stuck in their throats. There were very few people she truly disliked and fewer who disliked her. She was an open, giving, caring young woman. Fiercely loyal to her friends and family, she did not let the fact of her wealth make her feel superior to others. For her it was just a tool she could use to right the wrongs she found in her daily life. Things had a way of getting done when she and her mother put there minds to changing something they saw as an injustice.

They were two women way ahead of their time. It was God's good wisdom to have fortune smile on them otherwise their unorthodox attitudes would not be tolerated. They both were active supporters of women's rights and the rights of the individual.

Katherine gave Emily the details of her life during the years she had been missing. Emily was fascinated rather than horrified. She turned to Matthew lifting her brow in question, "So Lone Wolf, what a marvelous name, do you think you might teach me to make a bow? I wouldn't mind learning how to shoot an arrow either. It could be a handy thing to know should I need to seek vengeance on someone. I abhor guns. Much too noisy as well as leaving a messy wound. I don't think I'd mind an arrow so much."

"My name is Matthew." Not knowing if she were being insulting or truly asking him to teach her he continued to scowl. Emily just smiled. He would swear he saw her wink at him just before she turned back to speak with Katherine. This woman, this Emily was unlike any woman he had ever met. Well perhaps she did remind him of his mother. Her attitude and confidence in what she believed were similar to his mother's beliefs. If he remembered correctly his mother was a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps he should avoid Emily in the future. Emily was thinking just the opposite. Anyone who knew Emily knew she did not give up if she wanted something badly enough.

"Well of course your name is Matthew. I knew that. I just happen to like Lone Wolf better. Now, Katherine you must throw a party. Mother is out right this minute rounding up all the women of The Richmond Ladies Guild. As soon as the servants told us of your return and how most people had been treating you she was appalled. Not to mention that snake of a father you have. Sorry Katherine. I know he's your father but he has been quite a different man since you and your mother went missing. So what do you think of a party to introduce you and your friends to everyone?"

"A party Emily, do you really think that is such a good idea? I mean who would I invite? Would anyone come?" In her mind she asked herself "Would they accept my friends?"

Emily waved her hand in dismissal, "Oh pooh. There is me and my mother, a few of our friends from the old days, my brother and his wife. He gave up waiting for you to return. He had such a crush on you as did Hayden. Now let's see. Of course Gamm and Martin should be there. By the way where is Gamm? I would have thought she would have tied a rope to your waist and her own to make sure you don't disappear again."

"She had some shopping to do. She needed to make some changes to her usual order of supplies. Having three extra people to feed requires more food. Actually I think she is just going into town to make sure it is known that I am the one behind the money in the Montgomery household. She thinks if everyone knows that it will stop a lot of the gossiping and whispering. She thinks it might even curtail a lot of the hostility toward me."

"Shoot. I wish I had come earlier. We could have ridden in with her to get what we need for our party. I know you haven't agreed yet but you will. You know how I am when I know I am right about something. Since I can't remember being wrong that means I get my way in all things."

"We girls simply must go to town to find something special to wear. After all you did miss your debut Katherine." Emily clapped her hands in excitement catching Matthew looking at her with a little more concentration than warranted. That man did not know it yet but hurricane Emily was about to storm into his life. He would not know what hit him.

"Emily we just got new dresses. Come see if any would be appropriate." The women left Matthew alone to recover from having just spent the last hour surrounded by women. He was in need of some male companionship. Even if was only a horse. He left to make his way to the stables to start his day. If every once in a while his mind wandered to a certain raven haired, blue eyed woman he brushed his thoughts aside quickly trying to convince himself he did not feel as if a bolt of lightening had just struck him.

Fawn and Dove were a little concerned about meeting so many people who may hold a grudge against their people. Matthew could pass as a white man. Since he had cut his hair and began wearing the white man's clothing he looked like a man who worked in the sun tanning under the sun's harsh rays, a man who spent a lot of his time outdoors. They could not hide who they were. No matter what outer covering they put on they would still look different from all the light skinned women. Even Katherine had lost some dark coloring. She only had a creamy color now.

As they sat making the list of guests both Katherine and Emily assured them the people they would have at the party would only be those who would not pass judgment. Although Katherine had her own reservations she could not let her two close friends think she would allow them to hide while she entertained. Besides she herself could use the bolstering of her confidence having as many people around her as possible who did not hold her responsible for things she had no control over.

Katherine told her of the impending arrival of her houseguests in the morning. Emily was quite impressed with Katherine meeting a noble on her first visit to town. Her first night back she had only met Katherine's father. Talk about opposite ends of a pole, there was a prime example.

Katherine explained a little of what Raoul had told her. Emily insisted the infamous Mr. Fontaine must be invited. It would be marvelous to play cupid. When she asked if Raoul truly was willing to hand over his wife Katherine hesitated before answering remembering the men's antagonism toward each other. She explained her doubts to Emily. Her friend was unconcerned. Were they not the champions of brawling when they were younger? Many a time, they had come home with their dresses dirty with tears in the fabric from some wrestling match at school. Boy or girl they put up with no one's lip. Besides, there was going to be plenty of women there who would be more than willing to distract a handsome rich Frenchman. Emily did not reveal that she had her own agenda. She would be setting her sites a certain wild man. God she hoped he hadn't been tamed too much. A little bit of the savage could make things interesting. Controlled wildness could definitely add spice to life.

Katherine had stood firm refusing to invite Mr. Fontaine. She explained she did not want to play peacemaker the whole day. Besides she did not like Mr. Fontaine at all. He had the head of a pig and the tail of an ass. In other words he was a pigheaded ass. Katherine thought that summed him up nicely. Emily was even more intrigued. She simply must meet this man, if for other reason than to see why he ruffled Katherine's feathers so thoroughly.

Emily watched over Katherine as she addressed notes inviting everyone to an impromptu gathering on Saturday to get reacquainted. She apologized for the short notice. The afternoon would be casual with a picnic lunch being served. Lawn games would be offered for those wishing to partake in such activities. Before Katherine could change her mind Emily snatched up the envelopes saying she would personally see that they were put in the hands of the individuals. Waiting for Katherine's attention to be elsewhere for a few seconds Emily tucked a sheet of Katherine's stationary along with an envelope in her bag. Oh this was such fun.

After Emily left the other three looked at each other as if they had just survived a mild storm. That was Emily. She never had been one to let the grass grow under her feet. Especially if it were something she really wanted. Katherine had learned early in their friendship it was easier to just let Emily take the lead. No one could sway her once she set her mind on something. It was much less bother to simply give in. Besides Katherine had to admit what Emily wanted and what she had wanted were usually the same thing. They had been closer than most sisters. Fawn had formed the same sisterly bond with Katherine years ago. Dove was only in the last month really coming to know Katherine. Their bond was strengthening as well.

Katherine could not help but notice how many times Matthew and Emily had looked at each other when they thought they were unobserved, although it would not matter to Emily. She would have no qualms about confessing her interest. Matthew on the other hand would deny it if you pulled his finger nails from his fingers. He had stated many times white women were useless. He had clarified that by excluding his mother and Katherine when Katherine had held a blade to his throat threatening to cut his lying tongue out. As this observation had been made before they had become so close he had never been certain how much of the threat was bluff and how much was real. She had never seen fit to enlighten him nor had he asked.

It had surprised as well as pleased Katherine that she and Emily had been able to pick up where they left off as eight years had not separated them. That fact alone was a testament to how close they had been, and apparently still were. That her friend had sided with Gamm in her surety of Katherine returning had touched her deeply. Emily had remained her true friend even in her absence.

After leaving Katherine's, Emily had been flitting all over town delivering the invitations for the past few hours. Emily had been correct in her choices of the friends they should invite. Everyone was appalled at the treatment Katherine had received. Her father had given orders that everyone was to be turned away when they visited Katherine.

Emily saved the best for last. She was so hoping to catch the mysterious masked man, Mr. Fontaine at home. She had stopped at her home long enough to write out the invitation to Mr. Erik Fontaine. Naturally Emily would inform her friend of her invitation. Could she help it if the telling would be long after it would be proper to cancel the planned event? She could deal with Katherine's irritation over her underhanded action. Katherine would see in the long run it was a necessary evil. Well Emily did not see a handsome man's presence as an act that needed to be forced. Being a good friend she was simply doing what Katherine wanted to do without realizing that fact.

Katherine had been quite thorough in her description of a man she professed to dislike so much. The breathless quality to her voice did not escape Emily's notice either. She had been able to give quite a vivid description of him. Emily bet if she asked, Katherine could tell her what size shoe he wore. Her matchmaking bells were ringing. She mentally flicked away the idea of Mrs. de Chagny and her supposed devotion as well as the intriguing Mr. Fontaine's. Her loyalties were with Katherine. Mrs. de Chagny had had her chance.

Besides, she was already tied to one man although Katherine did say Mr. de Chagny had come to terms with his wife's defection. He had even offered to help her find the man. This Mr. de Chagny was a man Emily had to meet. He was either a poor homely sap who let the women in his life rule him or one resigned to giving into a man who had more attractions while he suffered in silence licking his wounds. Emily wished now she had thought to ask Katherine more about him. Now that she thought about it Katherine had said he was nice, a true gentleman, a good and honest man. She had said nothing about how he looked. On the other hand she had gone into great detail when speaking of Mr. Fontaine. A smile lit Emily's face as she pulled the cord to ring the bell of Mr. Fontaine's home. Oh yes indeed Katherine was smitten, or at least reluctantly attracted. Life long love matches had been born from less.

As she waited she admired the front of the house. Obviously he had money. Oh this was just perfect, money and looks. If she hadn't set her sights on Matthew she might give Katherine a run for her money. It would be a shame to end a newly rekindled friendship over a man. What luck Emily's interest was focused elsewhere.

The door opened suddenly bringing Emily back to her senses. Her eyes widened. Good God! What did they feed this man? He was huge. Not fat in any sense. There was just so much of him. So much...muscle…. everywhere. For a moment she lost her tongue giving into her urge to investigate him closely. She blushed scarlet when her eyes dropped down below his waist. Good heavens, was all she could think of at the moment in reaction to what she saw.

"Yes Miss. Might I be of some service?" Darius looked down, way down at the woman before him. If he were not mistaken the woman was ogling him quite openly. He was used to being stared at with surreptitious glances from women as well as men because of his size. He was not vain enough to consider he was an extremely attractive man. His dark good looks caused many a lady a few palpitations. He was not used to such open perusals from anyone, especially a woman.

Clearing his throat loudly he brought Emily back to the purpose of her visit. "Oh yes. Yes. I would like to speak with Mr. Fontaine if I may?" Emily felt quite flushed. She could only hope her face did look as warm as it felt. Richmond was suddenly being flooded with good-looking, eligible men. Thank God!

She had just regained use of her tongue when another man came from the left of the man standing in the doorway. When Emily caught sight of him her heart kicked up another notch. Good Lord did they not have ugly people where these men came from? If this was a sample of the men, she wondered what the women looked like. She was damn glad she did not live there.

"Darius, who is at the door? Not another sales person I hope. This countries penchant for door to door sales is quite irritating." Nadir had already been disturbed three times this morning and it was not even noon yet. Erik had given him some papers to review concerning some incidents of theft at one of his warehouses. He had yet to get beyond the opening paragraph.

Upon seeing the young woman craning to see around him, Darius moved from restricting her view. Nadir stood a bit taller bringing his shoulders up. Nadir had come to the realization months ago that he was ready to begin the process of mingling with the fairer sex. With all the drama in Erik's life he had little time to pursue any avenue so far that crossed his path with a suitable woman. Katherine he considered out of bounds as Erik was interested even if he vehemently denied such a possibility. Once Nadir's libido had reawakened Nadir found it quite distressing not to have an outlet for his desires. He was beginning to understand some of Erik's dark moods of late. He had been feeling dark clouds rumbling over his own head lately. Perhaps Allah had answered his prayers sending a woman straight to his door.

"Oh pardon me for not introducing myself first thing. Where are my manners? I am Emily Pierce, a good friend of Katherine Montgomery. I have an invitation for Mr. Fontaine. I am delivering it personally. Oh and for the both of you as well," she said upon entering the house. She was sure Katherine would not mind.

"Katherine wishes to get reacquainted with all her old friends as well as new ones. Since Mr. Fontaine and Katherine will be dealing with each other frequently we thought we should all get to know each other better. The invitation is addressed to Mr. Fontaine. Katherine I am sure wishes to extend the invitation to you and your friend. She has left the task to me to make the deliveries so by my authority I extend this invitation to the both of you. Please say you will come." Emily poured on the charm. She had been charming men practically from the cradle.

"Erik, Mr. Fontaine is not at home at the moment. If you wish you may leave the invitation with me. I will be sure to give it to him first thing when he arrives home. As for myself I would be honored to attend. I cannot speak for Darius." He cast a questioning look at Darius.

Darius bowed toward Emily who blushed even as she boldly ran her eyes over him once more. "It would honor me to attend this function as well. I shall be happy to meet everyone." Darius was hoping there would be single women at this gathering. Keeping watch over Erik along with his responsibilities to the businesses he had little time to seek out any young women. He was ready for the next stage of his life, which included a woman and children. Of course, with a marriage to said woman in-between the meeting and the children.

A thought occurred to Emily that brought her mind back from her intent perusal of Darius. "You might want to mention in lieu of Mr. Fontaine's and Mr. de Chagny's….uh, differences, it might be advisable to inform him both Mr. and Mrs. de Chagny along with their guest Mrs. Meg Giry will also be attending. I do hope Mr. Fontaine considers attending. I think everyone will find it quite enjoyable. Oh yes before I forget. It will be quite casual. In the evening we might be taking a wagon for a hayride, keeping that in mind, dress appropriately. We wouldn't want anyone to ruin anything."

Emily had gone on to recount how Katherine and Raoul had met, which led to the invitation to stay with her. Katherine was looking forward to having Raoul as her guest in particular. He did after all save her in a true knightly fashion.

After she left both men looked at each other trying to think how they should react to this new turn of events. Nadir for his part was quite happy with the recent events. This worked well with what he hoped would happen over the course of the next few weeks.

"You know Nadir we can not keep this from him. It would only make matters worse if he found out we did not inform him of the invitation. Besides we did receive an invitation to attend as well. Perhaps our clearer heads will win the day."

"I do not know what man you have been observing all these years but the one I know will not give a fig for anything we say. He will do as he pleases. If we try to interfere openly we may have our clear heads lying in our laps. I never thought Erik would become so confident when dealing with people. He has always been a little overbearing at times when he wants something. Well actually downright arrogant I would say. Blasted man, all the years climbing out of the hole he dug himself into now he is willing to climb right back in the pit with the poisonous viper which left him when he needed her most. Erik has always been blinded by Christine. Even when he confessed he thought she was not right for him he still clings to hope wearing that damn ring around his neck all the time. I just hope he has more sense this time. Allah, help us all if he and Raoul cannot resolve their issues."

"Anyway aside from not being able to control Erik or keep him away from Christine, I think he may find a new woman occupying his mind at times. Katherine Montgomery has been in quite a few of our conversations lately. He did become rather upset that day I sent Miss Montgomery that letter of invitation. I am hopeful something will come of Erik's fascination with Katherine instead of Christine causing friction between Raoul and Erik again. So, no, I do not intend to keep this invitation from him. It will work in our favor do you not agree?"

"Nadir it is out of our hands really. All we can do is watch while being ready to give our assistance when needed. I have found that with Erik sometimes it is better to let him struggle with a problem. If one offers advice he is just mule headed enough to do the opposite. Perhaps bringing notice to another woman would not be out of order. He did seem to be quite intrigued at the same time he was angered by Miss Montgomery. If you remember he spent the whole of the evening shouting about her unladylike behavior while giving a blow by blow account of everything she said and did. It did not escape my notice he gave us a detailed description of a woman that he claimed to have nothing but contempt for. I think we might find this knowledge useful as you say."

"Darius I never knew how conniving you were. You are quite a devious person under all that stoic quiet you portray. I like it. Yes indeed I like the way you think, especially as it coincides with my plan. Perhaps a healthy dislike will peak his interest. We all know how Erik hates to be thought less than Raoul. Yes this could work to our advantage." Nadir rubbed his hands together in gleeful anticipation. He could not keep Erik away from Christine or Raoul. Perhaps he could control the outcome of those encounters to a degree using Erik's own sense of pride against him. Tonight he would start his first campaign. By the weekend Erik would be chomping at the bit to win Miss Montgomery's favor over Raoul's.

Nadir let Erik settle at the dinner table. After a few bites he mentioned the invitation. Erik sat poised with his fork halfway to his mouth. Putting the bite of steak into his mouth he began to chew. The meat began to seem as if strips of leather had been woven into the meat. At long last the bite was swallowed. He set the fork beside his plate with deliberate care before speaking, "An invitation you say, for this weekend? I suppose since Raoul and Christine will be her houseguests they will be attending?" Odd that the fact that Katherine included him in the invitation pleased him more than seeing Christine.

"Oh yes indeed. Miss Pierce, Emily, could not say enough good things about Raoul. Why he practically played a knight in shining armor. He rescued Miss Montgomery from a terrible situation with some unthinking townspeople. Emily said Miss Montgomery considers him quite the hero." Nadir did not miss the scowl on Erik's face as he sang Raoul's praises.

"Hah! Her hero had to be defended by her to save him from me. Damn woman took me down twice. I still cannot figure out how she got the better of me, even if she did surprise me. There was a time a mouse could not have surprised me. Perhaps I am getting old. A few years ago I could have fought three men with one hand tied behind my back. Now, I let a beautiful slip of a woman take me down."

"Well Raoul is considerably younger. Naturally he would be a little more agile." Nadir realized the error of that statement when Erik huffed angrily once or twice before finally expelling enough steam to speak coherently.

"What the hell are you spouting off about? I am not that much older than Raoul. I held my own with him. In fact if she had not interfered taking my weapons from me I may have killed the pompous bastard."

"Well I suppose you are right. If the woman had not knocked you to the floor, taking your weapons so as to protect her dear friend, I am sure you would have prevailed. From all accounts Miss Montgomery is quite a beautiful woman. One could understand why Raoul would be willing to allow Christine her freedom. What luck for you, Raoul will have his interest drawn elsewhere for this gathering. This will give you an opportune time to seek out Christine. I am so pleased that things will finally work out for you." Nadir's tongue felt as if it had grown hair from the lie slipping out of his mouth.

Having finished they stood to leaving the dining room. They walked down the hall toward the study.

"Nadir I quite agree. Erik this should leave the field open for you. This could well be your chance to explore your relationship with Mrs. de Chagny. Why if things go well by this time next year she might be Mrs. Fontaine while Miss Montgomery could be the new Mrs. de Chagny."

Nadir had not one clue as to why Erik suddenly shot daggers out of his eyes toward Darius. Well perhaps he did. He stepped back a couple of paces, expecting Darius would do the same, just out of reach of Erik's long arms. Darius had thought to please Erik with his statement as much as it had nearly choked him to express the sentiment. Erik looked quite displeased for some unknown reason, unless he and Nadir were correct in their assessment of the situation. Darius had spoken the way he had just to test the waters. He had no fear of Erik's anger. He did not fear Erik period.

Nadir looked on a bit uneasy, Darius on the other hand was not in the least affected. He stood just as he was. Yes indeed he had a suspicion he knew what ailed Erik. The man himself was not yet aware, but he was attracted to Miss Montgomery whether he liked it or not. It would appear he was fighting it tooth and nail. Christine had been his dream for so long it was hard to let it go. He would eventually see his way out of the fog, but the time between would not be pleasant for anyone.

Erik did not know why but Nadir's and Darius' words did not have the pleasing ring he thought they would. He scowled when he pictured Raoul with that Montgomery woman. His hands clenched and his jaw clamped, grinding his teeth together. The damn woman had the nerve to enter one of his more erotic dreams and fantasies last night. Since Erik had first allowed Katherine to enter his fantasies he could not eradicate her as hard as he tried. If he had thought he was going to dream of anyone he would have bet it would be Christine. That had not been the case. The damn light haired witch had him dreaming all night of her overpowering him demanding things he was all too willing to give. He had awoken in the early dawn drenched in sweat with the damn thing between his legs so hard he felt he might burst a vessel if he did not get relief. Since there was no woman handy he had resorted to his old method of releasing sexual tension. _**Damn woman.**_

Over the next few nights Erik would repeat those two words many times. She entered his dreams as soon as he fell asleep. He had even resorted to imagining Christine stroking him as he pleasured himself. Damn if just before he reached his moment of expulsion, that woman's face flashed before his eyes giving him the best damn climax's he had ever had at his own hand. He could not rid himself of her even in sleep. _**Damn woman. **_

Katherine continued to go to the office over the next few days which had Erik's temper ready to release on anyone who dared to even speak to him. Everyone in the office and the theatre had been giving him a wide birth. They all were quite aware of what his temper was like. Once experiencing his temper was one too many times as far as they were concerned. As soon as Katherine left the office, which she did most days by one o'clock, Erik began his tirade. It carried over until he got home at night and related to Nadir and Darius everything that woman did during the time she was there.

Nadir did not dare ask how Erik knew what Katherine did as he had holed himself up in is own office while she was in residence of her own office. Come to think of it, there was a mirror in Erik's office that was on the wall adjoining the office Katherine was using. Erik was clever enough to invent a mirror that one could see through with the push of a magic button. In fact that was exactly what he had done in the opera house. The marvels he had created in Persia and The Paris Opera House would astound anyone. Yes, it was entirely possible Erik was spying on that young woman. At least it was not her dressing room or bedroom which given Erik's past was not beyond the realms of possibility.

Katherine had at first stressed over the fact that Erik had made no mention of coming to her picnic. Katherine dare not press him. In fact he gave her little opportunity to say anything with the disappearing act he performed everyday. If he was not willing to acknowledge her invitation one way or another to her personally then she would ignore his boorish disinterest also. It did not matter to her if he came or not. She thought it would be better if he did not come anyway. She knew Raoul would be happier if he did not. Christine might protest, but as far as Katherine was concerned Erik Fontaine could jump off a cliff. In fact if she were standing behind him she would give him the push he needed to begin his descent.

Katherine tried to be friendly, but not overly so hoping they could have a civil working relationship. He all but snubbed her attempts at conversation. He snarled and sniped at her no matter what she said. If she asked a question about the business he told her he was not an information center, then walked away without so much as a by your leave. She had stamped her foot, calling him some very impolite names more than once. He pretended to forget her name constantly. If he did dare address her he would only refer to her as Miss Montgomery no matter how many times she had given him permission to call her Katherine. He never asked her to refer to him as anything other than Mr. Fontaine. If she did not speak quickly enough she ended up speaking to his door. She spent more time looking at his closed door than she did that horrible man's face. Just once she wished she had been the one to leave him standing there while she went into her office and locked the door. Let him stew over that for once.

All in all she thought he was an insufferable man. An attractive man, but not one she would consider as a companion, even if he was so inclined, which she knew he was not. He barely tolerated her presence. She ignored the little lurch of her heart that thought caused her.

What did he matter anyway? He was only a man she had to meet over financial matters. He meant nothing to her and she meant nothing to him. The depressed feeling left in the wake of this knowledge she ignored. She brightened somewhat when she recalled their two close encounters. Then she was depressed again when she recalled how he had reacted to her other visits. Well she did not care. Not a bit. This temporary infatuation would pass soon enough. She wished for that time to come sooner than later.

**bA/N: As always I wish to have reviews. What writer doesn't? Please give me some little reward. /b**


	32. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-one**

**Dangerous Pursuits**

Katherine had been on pins and needles all morning. Martin had to town to bring her guests back to the estate. She had checked each room three times just to make certain everything was as it should be. Of course she was no expert on such matters. For the last eight years she had slept on the ground either in a teepee or out under the stars.

She wanted Raoul to like her home and feel welcome. Gamm had wondered if the gentleman might not feel just a bit overwhelmed with so many women living in the same household. Katherine had dismissed her concerns. After all Matthew lived with them without complaints. Gamm had agreed but secretly she thought his life in camp had not left him cloistered in a closed in space with so many females as would be the situation with Raoul. Gamm had decided not to remind her that until a few days ago Matthew had lived by himself in the back of the stables by his own choice. Perhaps now was not a good time to disabuse Katherine concerning so many women living in one household with one lone male among them? Tempers were sure to flair. Considering all the skills Katherine had gained Gamm thought it might be wise to hide all the sharp knives.

Katherine saw the carriage followed by the buckboard. She jumped up excitedly from her perch on the sitting room window seat. Forgetting everything she had relearned about how a young lady must behave she ran through the sitting room door out into the hall yelling at the top of her lungs, "They are here, Gamm, Fawn, White Dove, they are here." She was so excited she used Dove's Indian name. Not waiting to see if anyone followed her she swung the door open wide before Jackson could even make it into the hallway.

Swinging the door wide Katherine let it swing back hitting the wall with a resounding thud. Jackson was sure he heard the plaster crack.

Katherine ran down the three steps leading to the circle drive. As soon as the carriage stopped she opened the door exclaiming excitedly, "Raoul you finally made it. I have been waiting all morning. I thought you would have been here hours ago. I have been sitting looking out the sitting room window for hours."

Raoul stepped down from the carriage to immediately be attacked by a whirling dervish in sky blue skirts. She grabbed him around the waist tightly. The force of her movement had him taking a couple of steps back. He was a little surprised at her reception of him. At the least he expected a nod of her head in recognition, at the most a curtsy with an extended hand. Katherine's exuberant greeting toward him pleased Raoul but he was somewhat overwhelmed by her enthusiastic greeting. Meg raised her brows in enquiry while Christine looked on with disapproval.

Meg could hardly retain the smile when Christine huffed angrily when the young woman had come running down the steps grabbing hold of Raoul as if he were a very close dear friend instead of a newly made acquaintance. Anyone could be excused for thinking they had met more than the one time Raoul had stated. Christine had not been pleased to hear Raoul's plan to move them out of the city. Meg had asked her if she was more upset because Raoul had met a woman or if she was upset she would be further from Erik and had not seen him yet. Christine had huffed telling her to mind her own damn business then flounced out of the room. She had barely spoken to Raoul or Meg the last few days.

Meg was a little torn in her loyalties. She had known Christine the longest but lately she had begun to think she hardly knew her at all whereas Raoul was just what he presented himself to be. He was a kind, thoughtful, terribly loyal man once his trust and love were earned. He was a true gentleman through and through.

Realizing she was behaving like a little girl with no manners Katherine stepped back from Raoul with her hands pressed to her burning cheeks as she apologized for her overzealous attitude.

"Oh dear, please forgive me. I must seem horribly ill-mannered. I did not mean to be quite so overzealous in my greeting but I have been so looking forward to having my first guests in my home. I hope you took notice of my vocabulary. I have been practicing very hard. Gamm said if I did not stop reciting the words one by one with their definitions everyone might just agree to gag me. Oh it is so good to see you."

Grabbing his hands she pulled him along as she walked backward into her house. "Come in all of you. I want to introduce you to everyone. Matthew do not even think of slinking off. Come inside. I made a lemon cake with lemon frosting." At Matthew's incredulous look she frowned, saying, "Yes I made it and no, I did not burn down the kitchen. Burn a few things, cause a couple of fires and he will never let me forget it." Gamm had been teaching the three women how to cook while reading and following a recipe. Fawn and Dove had taken to cooking like ducks to water. Katherine on the other hand was more like a bull placed in the china shop with his tail on fire.

"This is Mrs. Graham. I usually call her Gamm but I am trying to learn the proper way to address people. Even ones I have known for most of my life should be addressed a certain way. When it is just us she is Gamm. I am telling you this so you do not think there are two people. It is all so confusing trying to unscramble my two separate lives." Pulling Matthew forward she said, "This is Matthew, my brother. Fawn and Dove are my sisters. At least as far as I am concerned we are related. At times when I am annoying them they might disagree. These are the people I told you about Raoul, the ones who helped me come home."

"Raoul please introduce us to your wife and guest. You have met all of my family now. I would like to get to know yours."

Pulling Christine forward Raoul was surprised when she wound her arm around his back possessively. "This is my wife Christine. And this is Christine's adopted sister, Mrs. Meg Giry. Antoinette, Meg's mother took Christine in when she was a small child, after her father died Meg and Christine were raised as sisters." Raoul had hesitated over the lie he and Meg had agreed on to introduce her to people. Pulling her forward to his other side he began his explanation, "Meg is a widow. Her husband was killed during a household robbery. She came to us of course when she realized she was with child. Her mother had remarried a man in Italy and it was only natural for her to come to us."

Katherine, Fawn and Dove looked at Meg in awe. A woman heavy with child was to be revered. Her blond hair and angelic countenance caused the same affect Katherine had caused the day of her capture.

Fawn spoke in her native tongue in her excitement. "She is mother earth. Is she not the most beautiful woman you have ever seen? She glows with peace and tranquility." Fawn was mesmerized. She stepped forward placing her hand on Meg's round belly. When she was rewarded with a kick she smiled turning to Katherine and Dove inviting them to come feel. She did not know white women would find this a little offensive. Her people rejoiced when new life was imminent.

Katherine held Dove back by her elbow when she would have gone forward. "I must apologize again. Fawn means no offense. Among her people women about to bring a child into the world are revered. Meg's blond hair to Fawn's people is a rarity. They see very few light haired people. They believe those with light hair to be sent from the spirit world with a special purpose. Perhaps her purpose is to have a great warrior."

"Well I do not know about a great warrior but I do think there is a small mule in there kicking away that enjoys keeping me awake at night. I am not in the least offended. I am happy to share my blessing with everyone." As usual Meg was trying to put everyone at ease. How could she find it offensive for someone to want to share in her joy of her impending motherhood?

Extricating himself from Christine's firm hold on his waist Raoul said, "Well now that introductions are out of the way, where is this cake we were offered? How did you know I am partial to lemon cake?" In truth he had never had anything with lemon other than lemonade on a hot summer afternoon. He felt Katherine needed the added encouragement. If it tasted like saw dust he would choke it down to please her and declare it the nectar of the gods.

"We set up a table on the terrace. Martin would you help Jackson take their luggage to their rooms? Mrs. Graham will show you where everyone is to stay. If you would care to freshen up there is a powder room down this hall the second door on the left. There is another one just off the study."

Every one gathered on the terrace after taking a few moments to use the facilities. Gathering on the terrace a maid brought them refreshments. Katherine's cake tasted delicious despite being just a little lopsided.

Christine refused the dessert making a comment that it was a shame more women did not watch their weight. She looked at Katherine who was oblivious of the intended slight as she was conversing with Raoul. Matthew had to grab an arm of each of the women sitting beside him or there would have been fur flying. Fawn and Dove gave Christine a fierce look a warrior in battle would have been proud of. They were new to this society but they could understand when someone was being unkind. Meg having no one holding her back sputtered, "Christine! Are you implying I am fat? It must be me as everyone else still has their girlish figure. I am not fat I am with child." With a sniff she asked for a second piece of cake which she ate with relish.

After everyone finished they were shown to their rooms. Katherine explained about the gathering she was having tomorrow as a way to reacquaint herself with everyone. She explained that everyone was helping set things up tonight so they could put the roasting pig in the ground and the quarter of beef on the spit in the early morning. Even Christine consented it might be fun to help decorate and set up the games.

Katherine had one area designated for croquette, another with a target for a bow and arrow. A net was set up for badminton. Horse shoes were set up some distance away for safety's sake. Had Katherine known how things would turn out she might have set the croquette course a bit further out of range of her windows.

All was ready for the festivities to begin. All they needed were the guests. Katherine could hardly sleep for all the things parading around in her head. Just before sleep overtook Katherine she wondered if she would have to keep her eye on Mr. Fontaine to make sure he behaved. The thought was not unpleasant. In fact she smiled wiggling her head and shoulders deeper into the pillow. If there was a man in her dreams with a mask behind her on Misty as they raced across an open field she did not remember any such thing the next morning or what happened at the end of the ride. Not clearly anyway.

Everyone had settled in nicely for the night, waking in the morning to fresh cinnamon rolls and croissants. Coffee and tea were offered as well. Excitement was in the air. Katherine was so pleased Raoul liked her home. He had pitched in with willing hands. Meg and even Christine had helped.

Excitement was the order of the day for everyone. Even in Erik's home Nadir and Darius were waiting in tense excitement. They had agreed to try to have one or the other of them with Erik at all times. Darius hoped there would be unattached women at this function. He so rarely had an occasion to met single women.

Both men wore casual trousers with shirts. They were glad to forgo the jacket, vest and tie they normally would have worn when visiting or even a tuxedo if the occasion were more formal. When Erik descended the stairs Nadir and Darius exchanged glances. Darius shrugged as if to say it is your turn to get a headache arguing with him.

"You look quite dapper Erik but..." Nadir was wondering how long it would take to convince Erik to change his clothing and then to actually accomplish that feat.

"Thank you. I thought I looked rather dashing myself. I had my tailor make this suit especially for the occasion. It cost me double to get it made so quickly. I must see about getting a new tailor. My current one is getting too deep in my pockets for no more service than normal."

"Erik do you not recall the invitation said casual clothing was required? We will be outdoors you know? Perhaps later riding around in a wagon filled with hay?"

"Yes I remember quite well. Is this not casual enough? Perhaps if I remove the tie pin and cufflinks, will that make you happy?" Erik had fussed long and hard over how to present himself today. He wanted to give Katherine the impression he was an elegant man about town. For the moment it did not strike him as odd that his thoughts were more for how Katherine perceived him than Christine. Christine had not even entered his thoughts when he had chosen the material and colors for his new suit.

"Remove the jacket and the tie as well. The atmosphere is more that of a picnic than a formal gathering. Stop pouting like a child. You may wear the suit another day to impress Mrs. de Chagny."

As Erik removed the diamond tie pin setting it in a dish on the entryway table, his first objection in his mind was now Katherine would not get to see his vest matched her eyes perfectly. He then jerked off the tie and jacket as he grumped, 'I did not have the suit made with her in mind. I thought I might show the, oh so noble, Monsieur de Chagny that I do not wear cast offs from the opera house any more. I wear only the best tailored clothing. I am no longer The Opera Ghost or Phantom. I am a man of means who demands respect."

He continued to fume privately as he removed his cufflinks. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows then unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt. He spread his hands out and asked, "Happy? Is there anything else I should remove, my trousers, my boots? Whatever makes you happy Nadir just let me know."

"You may keep the vest." Nadir could not help but notice the sky blue color matched a certain young woman's eyes, and her name was not Christine. Nadir did not miss Erik's hands quickly grabbing his vest back as if he feared Nadir might change his mind.

"Darius let us get him in the carriage before he sulks himself into staying home."

"I do not sulk. I was perfectly happy when I came downstairs. My ill mood is due to your nagging." As he spoke Nadir began to shove him out the front door. If that had been anyone other than Nadir blood might have been spilled.

"Yes, yes. It is my fault you are an unreasonable grouch. It is my fault we are now going to be an hour late. It is my fault you took an extremely long time to get ready. It is my fault entirely." Nadir sniffed the air around Erik.

"Erik, are you wearing that cologne you only wear when you are seeing one of your women? A bit optimistic are you not Erik?"

"Shut up. I just mistook the bottle for something else."

"Oh I can see how a bottle of expensive cologne could be mistaken for anything else, such as a hair brush, a lint brush."

"You are right Nadir. Erik probably thought it was his tooth powder to clean his teeth," Darius chimed in gleefully.

Erik growled, "Did you not just say we were late? Should we not be leaving? If the two of you can tear yourselves away from entertaining yourselves at my expense I suggest we leave. I would hate to have to hurt someone."

Nadir just on his way out the door stopped short. He knew there was something he had forgotten. He turned to face Erik with his hand out.

Throwing his hands out to the side in a gesture of frustration Erik asked, "What? What now?"

"Let me have your weapons. Do not even bother denying you have any."

Nadir continued to hold his hand out. Erik continued to stare at him defiantly. When Darius stepped behind Nadir with his arms folded and a look that plainly said he would not hesitate to do harm to Erik if required, Erik sighed in defeat handing over his Punjab lasso. Nadir took that handing it back to Darius as he continued to hold his hand out. Erik took the knife from the back of his belt. That also was passed on to Darius. As Nadir continued to hold out his hand staring unblinkingly, Erik gave up. They would be here all night at this rate. He took a knife from each of his boots as well as a small derringer.

"What if we are attacked? How will we defend ourselves? Do not blame me if you get robbed and killed. I will not mourn your stubborn hide."

"Be that as it may I will feel safer facing a bandit face to face than allowing you within a mile of Raoul with weapons readily available."

The ride out of town was completed with Erik refusing to add to the conversation of the other two men. It was an oft repeated scenario. Nadir would reprimand Erik then Erik would sulk. By the time they arrived at their destination he usually came around.

His ranting and sulks were fewer than before while the duration was much shorter than a few years ago. Although he deplored the violence Nadir had to concede that during the week after one of his bouts Erik was a much calmer person, easier to reason with also. That was the main reason Nadir had ceased to nag him about them. Now he just waited patiently at home with his kit. Now though he had to add much more to the kit. Darius of all things had taken to boxing like a bear to honey. The result was somewhat similar also. One got the bit of sweet along with the sting. He had yet to step into the ring in fear of damaging someone permanently. Erik had come close to killing a few men and he had not even intended to do so. Darius knew he could deliver much more damage than Erik ever could, so he enjoyed the bouts from a spectator's seat.

Erik had come home at least three days this past week with nothing on his mind but Miss Montgomery. She had the audacity to arrive at her own office building asking for an office she might use as her own. She had gone to the theatre she owned controlling interest in without consulting him. He alternated between listing her many faults to admitting she did have some innovative ideas for one who had not been in civilization for longer than a couple of months in eight years. She was certainly no lady. What normal woman could do as she did? In the same breath he declared her less than feminine he swore that if she thought he would give into her demands for his shares in her businesses just because she was a beautiful woman she was mistaken. Her perfume lingering in every corner of their suite of offices did not bother him at all. She would not weaken him.

From what Nadir and Darius had observed when they had been in Erik's office the woman barely gave him notice. When she came Erik herded them into his office then locked his door effectively locking them in with him which was why they had not met the woman as of yet. They had heard her voice but not been able to see her. Nadir had seen her that one time when he had almost caught them in a intimate moment. Erik denied any such near intimacy, Nadir knew otherwise. Had he not nearly lost his head due to Erik's jealousy concerning a woman Erik professed he disliked?

Nadir had his fingers crossed that something came of Erik's unwilling attraction to this Miss Montgomery woman. An attraction he would not admit to anyone or to himself even at the point of torture. It would take a strong patient woman to finally win and have a little control over Erik. From what Nadir could tell Christine was not that woman. Perhaps if she had led a different life, not lost her father so young or been so dependant on others things would be different. As things were she was nothing short of poison for Erik. At one time Nadir had thought Erik had come to this realization as well. Apparently all it took was the prospect of meeting her again to renew his devotion to that woman. From what Nadir's detective had been able to gather things were not all roses and sunshine in the de Chagny household.

The carriage pulled up to the front of the house coming to a stop behind a long line of buggies and other carriages. The horses had been freed from their burden. From the number of horses in the side pasture in a sizable fenced in area this was the holding pen for the animals to rest while their owners enjoyed the day. A young boy about fourteen came rushing up exclaiming in a breathless voice, "Sir, the others are around back if you care to join them. I will see to your horses. Don't you worry none. I'll take right good care of them."

Erik mumbled so only Darius and Nadir could hear him, "Why does that not reassure me? These two animals are a matched pair, the finest example of their breed. She expects me to entrust them to this ill spoken youth? I think not."

"Well suit yourself Erik. You know what is best I am sure. Darius and I will be around back enjoying the day. If possible we will send you something to drink."

"What? You are going to go off enjoying yourself while I suffer without food or drink? You are a most selfish man Nadir."

"Yes I am sure you are right. I am not the one who will be sitting all day in a hot carriage just because I am afraid to face someone I have not seen for three years. She is only a woman Erik. Not an angel or a saint. I had hoped you had learned that long ago. Well if we cannot persuade you so be it. Darius and I will see you later." As he had been speaking he had alighted from the carriage with Darius close behind. Darius could almost see Nadir mentally counting to five. That was how long it usually took Erik to come to a decision to do something he did not want to do but Nadir thought he should do.

Sure enough right on cue Erik called after their retreating backs, "Damn it can you not wait one fucking minute? I am coming. If anything happens to either of my animals there will be hell to pay."

"Understood?" Erik asked Nadir's retreating back. Nadir dared to smirk with his back to Erik.

"I understand completely."

"Just so you do." Erik scowled as he knew Nadir would have that damn self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"I do indeed."

"Fine. Fucking wonderful. God damned fucking perfect."

"Erik, please watch your language. There will be ladies present today. Not your usual loose kind of lady, real genteel ladies."

"I do know how to behave in social situations Nadir." Erik pulled on the two sides of his vest. A fleeting thought flitted across his mind that he hoped Katherine noticed it matched her eyes. Not that his wearing it meant anything. If it did it only meant he was trying to soften her up, using it as a ploy to get her shares. It sounded weak even as he thought it but it was all he could come up with at the moment.

Without further conversation they went to locate the rest of the guests. As they got nearer to the back lawn the increase in volume of voices sounded louder with each step. Erik's heart beat a slow rhythm to match each reluctant step he took. In a matter of seconds he would see her. After three long years he would once again lay eyes on his beautiful angel. Suddenly his heart out distanced his feet. It began to pound out a heavy fast paced beat. He was sure everyone could hear each pounding beat against his chest.

Out of all the crowd Erik saw her instantly. Everyone else fell away as if they were not there at all. Erik's steps took him in a straight line to Christine. Others moved out of the way of his determined step. They seemed to realize he had a purpose. When he was a mere few feet from her he spoke only one word. It was enough.

"Christine." Erik had imagined this meeting for three long years. He had planned for this moment moving things around like chess pieces on a board until the time was perfect for her to come into his life. He had decided now was the time. He had everything that would impress a woman. Riches, power, some would say a certain charm. He was no longer that bumbling man from the opera house who would trip over his tongue when trying to think of things to say to her. He had to rehearse each word he would say to her every time he was to teach her. He had not wanted to appear to be as inexperienced as he had been. He had been ashamed of his innocence. That was no longer an issue.

Christine heard that whispered call to her as she had many times in her younger years. She remembered it well. She had lived with his voice in her waking hours as well as her dreams. She turned to face him. Her breath caught at the sight of him. He was if possible, even more commanding, more regal than he had been before. The intervening years had been kind to him, more than kind.

"Angel. Erik." She took a few hesitant steps toward him then sped across to him wrapping her arms around him uncaring of what anyone thought. She had been too long without him. She had searched for him too long to worry about what others thought who did not matter to her at all. This was her Angel of Music. Her Erik.

Erik closed his eyes bringing his arms around her. Gathering her closely to him he inhaled her sweet fragrance. God she was finally back in his arms. He did not know if he had the ability to let her go again. He was swamped with so many feelings. She had been his life, his dream for so long. How did one let go of a dream?

Raoul standing just behind them cleared his throat, if for no other reason than to bring the couple out of there close embrace. He wanted to draw his gun in this second killing the man who had made his life hell. The man who made what should have been his happiest moments into waking nightmares. He had wanted to strap his gun on but Katherine had persuaded him he should not invite trouble. Besides it was a party. Why would he need a gun at a party?

Erik stepped back from Christine. The further the distance from her the more reality returned. She was not his. As much as he may want it she was not his. This time he would not lose what little he could salvage from their former association. He was willing to be whatever she needed him to be. If a friend was as much as he could hope for then a friend he would be. He would have her in his life in whatever capacity she was willing to allow. He should be more upset over that conclusion. To find nothing but willing acceptance surprised him. He had thought he would want more. Demand more. When had things changed?

Erik heard the soft honey coated voice just before tremors shook his body. God damn it, he must be coming down with some illness. His heart rate had tripled the normal beats. His palms began to sweat. He noticed his hands were shaking. Yes, he was definitely coming down with some illness or other.

"I am so glad you could make it Mr. Fontaine. Perhaps you would introduce us to your guests? I do not believe we are acquainted." With those few words Katherine let it be known what she thought of Erik's behavior and his ill manners with the disapproval in her tone. She shot Christine a disapproving look to which Christine stuck her little nose in the air giving a loud sniff. She cared not one bit what this little tagalong thought. She was just hanging onto Raoul's pant leg to garner some acceptance. Christine did not care for Katherine at all. The more Raoul defended her, the less Christine liked her.

"You must pardon me Miss...Montgomery is it?" He knew very well who she was. She had come to the office enough after their initial meeting. He knew he had been boorish during each encounter, but she disturbed him. Not only because of the opera house or rather theatre business.

What other reasons he had for such a reaction he did not scrutinize too closely in fear of the answer. Shutting himself away in his office to avoid her was childish he knew, but he could not take the chance of losing his control. He had almost kissed her that day in the office. Then that close encounter had occurred at the tea trolley. She had affected him deeply both times. That's as much as he wanted to know right now. Anything else he shoved to the back of his mind. After much consideration he deemed it unwise to take her to his bed. It did not occur to him he may be a bit presumptuous as Katherine had not shown any such inclination.

Erik knew he was being a bit unreasonable in his dislike of the blasted woman. He could think of no reason other than she owned controlling interest in his opera house. That fact had not even bothered him when Daniel had alerted him to the possibility that his daughter might want to exercise her rights to know about her own affairs. He had seen it as a challenge to convince her business was no place for a woman. He had seen himself easily convincing her to leave matters to him or sell him everything outright. No, his dislike had begun when she had knocked him to the floor. Perhaps that was it. She had dented his pride, twice.

The meetings in the office when she came to town had left him feeling unsettled after each encounter. His whole body seemed to hum with some secret knowledge his mind could not quite comprehend. He dismissed the hardening in his trousers at each encounter as nothing more than being in the presence of a beautiful woman. As much as he tried to deny her attractions his eyes would not allow that, nor would his traitorous body. As this thought came to him, that his body had definitely responded to Katherine's voice alone, he was made equally aware that there had been no such response when he held Christine in close proximity to that very appendage which should have reacted to her closeness.

"Please you must call me Katherine. After all we will be working closely together once I decide to fill my father's position in the company. I am sure we will become good friends. Between the office and the theatre we will run into each other often." Her tone assured anyone hearing her that she thought the exact opposite were true. She had no intentions of befriending him or seeing any more of him than absolutely necessary. She was angered on Raoul's behalf. The two of them had no shame. Right in front of everyone they embraced like long lost lovers. Poor Raoul must be devastated. Katherine had become a staunch supporter of Raoul.

"Katherine. This is Nadir Khan and Darius Marashi. Both are close friends of mine. I hope you do not mind that they came along? After all you will be seeing them from time to time in the office. If you take up your father's office that is." His tone let it be known he thought she would grow tired of world of business. It was after all a man's world. It was no place for women.

"I am pleased to welcome them. Emily informed me she had invited them. Gentlemen I am pleased to meet any friends of Mr. Fontaine's. If you will be working in the office or have connections with my businesses I suppose we would have eventually met. I am glad we were afforded this opportunity to meet as it seems each time I came to the office there was apparently some urgent meeting just taking place. " Her tone indicated she had doubted Erik had any friends. It also made it perfectly clear she was not fooled one bit by the disappearing act the three men performed every single time she entered the office.

Sweeping her hand to indicate the rest of her guests she said, "I will let you introduce yourselves to everyone as you met them. There are too many to do so individually. Perhaps you already know Raoul, Christine and their guest Meg Giry?" Katherine indicated the three people to her left. Christine she noticed still stood close to Mr. Fontaine.

When they saw Meg's condition each man reacted as one would expect to see an unmarred woman heavy with child, one in public no less. Most women in her condition hid away from the public eye. Even the married women.

"Meg? It is a pleasure to meet you face to face. I feel as if I know you. As your mother may have told you I have watched you from the shadows since your mother brought you to the opera house. I have written several times to your mother. She seems to be doing well. I did express my concerns to her about you living in Paris on your own. It would seem my concerns were well founded."

"Erik!" Nadir had been transfixed by Meg. Had there ever been such a beautiful woman? She positively glowed. Erik's tactless words had angered him. He saw the blush of embarrassment heat Meg's face. Nadir took a moment to analyze just what this feeling was. He had not had this type of reaction in perhaps fifteen years. Not sense his dear wife passed on. He felt light headed. Perhaps he was ill and did not realize that fact until just now.

As Nadir stared at Meg she shyly returned his look. Perhaps she had blushed not solely from embarrassment. Her sweet smile would indicate along with the shy glance perhaps she might share his interest. It had been a while but he was sure he was not mistaken. If Nadir had thought her charming before now he knew she was a siren's call. One he thought he might like to answer. Truth be known, Nadir was getting rather tired of being a lonely bachelor. Being on the end of one handed pleasure was not enticing after so many years. Perhaps it was time to brush up on his skills of wooing. Damn, had it really been twenty years since he had pursued a woman? Nadir resolved he would rectify the situation with all due haste. His eyes dropping to her rounded stomach he considered he had perhaps three or four months to convince her he was Allah's gift to her.

Fawn and Dove were standing just a little behind the group surrounding Katherine. They were conversing in their own language.

"If your eyes keep shooting those hot sparks she will catch fire soon," Dove teased Fawn.

"I do not know what you mean White Dove. I am simply looking. What is so strange about that?"

"I have seen the way you look at Katherine's friend Raoul. Your eyes do not have the look of a woman looking at a stranger she might wish to befriend. You have the fire of one who wants to head to the bushes. You are lucky Lone Wolf has not noticed. He would tie you to a pole deep in some cave then seek out the man you devour with your eyes. He would cut parts of him that men hold dear."

"I am not looking at him in any way other than as Katherine's friend. Besides, Lone Wolf has been giving looks of his own to Emily. Every time she comes he makes some excuse to come into the house. Yesterday he was looking for his gloves. I do not know why he thought they might be in the parlor. He rarely goes in there. If he did he would not have his work clothes. Gamm would skin him like a beaver."

Dove moved closer to Fawn bumping her shoulder with her own smiling in a teasing manner as she asked, "So it would not bother you if I looked in Raoul's direction? There will be plenty of opportunity to pull him to the bushes after dark. I might even find a seat very close to him when we drive around later on the wagon."

"White Dove you keep away from him. Go near the bushes and I will be coming in after you."

White Dove giggled as she looked at Fawn's red face. She had really fallen for the light haired Straight Arrow. Fawn and White Dove agreed Raoul was one of the most honorable men they had ever met. What he had done for Katherine had won them over. Fawn fell for his charm a little more intently than White Dove.

"Alright, alright I will admit I do feel something for him. White Dove I do not understand these white people. They are man and wife. She sleeps in one room he sleeps in another. Now this man comes and his wife greets him as a lover. When Katherine told us about what Christine was doing I could not believe how a woman could have someone like Raoul and treat him as she does. The love he feels is in his eyes when he looks at her. Her eyes mirror the same look. How can she not know she loves him so deeply?"

"Remember what Katherine told us about this man Christine longed to find? Perhaps it is more a case of unresolved feelings. They are like the flower that has passed its first bloom. Still beautiful but fading and soon it will die. Once faced with the final death of the flower, who is to say they will not move on? For your sake I hope Raoul has the shield dropped from his eyes before Two Faces realizes what she has let go."

"Well maybe I can give him a new flower to admire. Help him decide it is time to pick from another garden." With a grin all who knew Fawn would recognize as an idea in the making White Dove could only wait until the idea took hold ready to come out.

"Well all I can say is Two Faces had better not cause White Eagle any problems. Do you remember the patch of the three leafed vine in the middle of the berries? I wonder what would happen if someone were come across this deceiving vine while picking berries. Did Katherine not say everyone was going berry picking to go with the whipped cream and cold stiff cream?"

"That was ice cream. Remember Gamm told us about it? Fawn we cannot let even her near that vine. Think of something else, although she has been unkind in her treatment of us. She does not believe Katherine should let us have free run of the house. She does not like it when we share meals with them. I am not as against letting her become infected as I thought. Perhaps a few miserable days scratching she may be a little more accepting. Suffering does have a way of breeding tolerance."

Agreeing that if Two Face happened to be in that particular patch while rubbing against the vine to pick the juiciest berries it would be out of their hands. Let the one who controls fate worry whether or not if she should stop Christine.

**A/N: Authoresses begging forum. Review! Review! Review! Please? **


	33. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-two**

**Games of Love and War**

The first little war between Erik and Raoul took place during a game of croquette. The game consisted of Katherine, Erik, Raoul, Emily who had arrived late, Christine and Matthew. Meg, Nadir, Darius and Dove sat on the sidelines to watch what should have been a rather boring game of croquette.

The men gallantly let the ladies go first. Emily took her turn then Christine followed by Katherine. Matthew had drawn the longest straw to see who among the men would go first. Raoul took his turn then Erik. That first tap of the little wooden balls was the opening for all-out warfare between Erik and Raoul. After Raoul had hit his ball deliberately by-passing all three women's balls knocking halfway across the yard on Erik's next turn he got revenge.

As luck would have it Raoul's ball was in a direct line with Erik's. Erik shot Raoul an evil smirk then shot his ball so hard that when it hit Raoul's ball it went under some bushes approximately twenty feet away. Raoul looked at his ball then at Erik. Looking Erik straight in the eye he saluted then gave him an evil grin of his own that spread across his face.

After that it was no longer a game of croquette. It was a war to see who could knock his opponents ball the farthest. On Raoul's last turn he had knocked Erik's ball into the pond. Everyone agreed he should be allowed to put the ball on the grass to continue the play. The only draw back was Erik had to wade into the murky green water up to his knees.

Cursing Raoul with every foul word he knew in every language he knew, Erik gauged his shot at Raoul's ball. If he didn't hit it hard enough his own ball would lose momentum. If he hit it just a little to the left of the corner of the house he could send down right in the middle of the horse pen. The one with all the lovely fresh horse droppings.

Erik lined up his shot then gave a mighty swing. The ball unfortunately took flight. It went straight through the parlor room window shattering the glass. Erik had been quite thrilled with the arch of the ball until shattering glass could be heard.

"Well I guess that ends that little show. Anyone care to join me in a cold drink of lemonade?" Fanning herself Emily hoped a certain man would volunteer to bring hers to her. No such luck. Getting that man to talk was like trying to pry a vault open with a spoon. She had about as much success as the spoon would have. Looking over at Katherine Emily grinned. Katherine had her hands on her hips glaring daggers at the man she now knew was Katherine's reluctant partner in business. Oh boy. That man had best run for cover.

Katherine began advancing on Erik. With each step she took closer to him her anger grew. Why she had no rancor against Raoul she supposed it was because he was her friend as well as her houseguest.

"You oaf. You great big buffalo chip. You will pay for that window. I should make you leave for ruining my party. My first party since coming home. All my old and new friends are here. I just wanted the day to go smoothly. I wanted one perfect day. I...You..." Katherine had started out poking her finger in Erik's chest as he backed away from her. With each step her voice got a little shakier. Tears welled in her eyes. Katherine was horrified. She never cried. Not since her first few months in captivity had she shed one tear. She wiped her eyes with her hands. She looked at her wet fingertips in disbelief. That son of a donkey had made her cry. She would never forgive him.

Raoul wrapped his arms around her as he apologized profusely, "I am so sorry Katherine. I should not have let him bother me as I did. This was your day. I should have had better control over my emotions."

"It is not your fault. It is his fault. He broke the window. He embarrassed me. He ruined my first day back with everyone as Katherine instead of White Eagle. I was Katherine." She turned her into Raoul's shoulder until Lone Wolf came up behind her. She turned into his strong arms letting him hold her. He spoke in words only they knew the meaning of.

"Well Erik I hope you are satisfied. What next? You will entertain us with plucking the wings from butterflies?" Nadir gave him the look he so hated to be on the receiving end of. The one that made him feel as if he were a small boy in front of his father just before he is taken to the woodshed.

"Damn it. It was not just me. Why must I take the blame? That confounded boy contributed to the end result just as I did. I see no one censuring him. Of course not he is the God damned saint while I am the devil." Erik's voice got a little louder with each word until everyone was staring at him. People began to back away. They thought violence was just a breath away.

Erik took a few stalking steps away then stopped. Fuck! He had made her cry, ruined this special day for her. Christ! Although he would rather swallow nails than have to make an apology in front of Raoul for any reason he should offer his apologies to Katherine. Even if he was in the wrong in this case he still hated that he had let Raoul bait him. He should not let Raoul stir such anger in him. He had never done anything to him other than steal Christine's love. Why could he not just let old animosities go? It had been three years. Grinding his teeth he turned around walking back in Katherine's direction. Nadir and Darius took a couple of steps to stand closer to Katherine. The man who had been introduced as her brother stepped in front of her with his arms crossed in front of his chest. The cold calculating look would have done Erik proud when he lived under the opera house.

"You might want to rethink your next move. Take one more step in her direction and it will be your last."

Erik stood a little taller. Why he did not just make his apology and be done with it all with a few spoken worthless words he could not say for sure. Some imp of mischief had climbed on his shoulder whispering in his ear. Folding his own arms across his chest he looked the man steadily in the eye inquiring, "Is that a threat?"

Matthew shrugged as he answered, "Threat or promise, take your pick. In either case you end up the same."

Katherine spoke in a low voice in his language, "Lone Wolf no. I over reacted. Please. It is not worth you getting into trouble. What would I do if they took you away? What about Fawn and White Dove? You know what could happen to you in this world. You must be careful."

"You are lucky Shadow Man. Katherine has forgiven you. Do not make this mistake again. You would not care for the ways we take retribution where I come from." With that he turned to walk calmly to the drinks table to get a cool glass of lemonade for himself. Not even realizing it he picked up the second glass. When he turned from the table Emily was right behind him not more than a foot away. He could smell her sweet flowery scent. His nostrils flared as his eyes heated. Dammed if the woman did not look him right in the eye with much the same heated look firing behind her own eyes. Grunting he shoved the glass in her hand then stalked away without a word.

**_Rude devil. Damn if he is not any woman's dream. Well at least mine anyway._** Emily was so glad her mother had been under the weather and her brother and his wife could not make the trip as their eight month old daughter was teething and cranky. Her momma would take her to the woodshed. Her brother would be asking what sort of income he had. What were his future plans? The sort of embarrassing questions her father would have asked if he were alive. That did not even take into account that he was an of Native American heritage. They were not bigoted or prejudiced in any sense of the word. They were cautious. They would see all the pitfalls where Emily wanted to see only the possibilities for now. The rest they could worry about later. Besides, did Katherine not say he was the son of Constance Marie Armbruster? Yes she was definitely glad they were not around for Miss Emily Pierce planned to kiss that man senseless before she left tonight. If she left. Oh she was wicked. With the thoughts buzzing around in her head she should have fire and brimstone bubbling up from hell right at her feet about now.

Erik hated it when he did not get the last word in an arguement or debate. To further add to his displeasure he now had to offer an apology with everyone avidly watching and listening. He glared around at the waiting crowd. Some he was able to intimidate. Others were too avidly listening to hear some fresh gossip. They were Katherine's friends so they would temper what was said. It would still give them interesting material for the next few weeks.

"I..," he paused to clear his throat then continued, " I am sorry. I am sorry I broke your window. Please forgive my poor behavior. If you wish I will leave. I will understand." He glanced at Raoul's arm around her waist. Why that bothered him he could not say nor did he wish to delve to deeply for a reason. He just knew he had an almost irresistible urge to tear the man's arm from its socket. An urge just barely restrained.

Katherine pulled away from Raoul to look at Erik. He did truly look contrite. Raoul had a share in the blame. "No, no please stay. It is still early. You have not eaten. I bet you would not say no to a drink. Please say you will stay." She took the three steps needed to reach him. She took his one hand in hers then placed the other on his bare arm. Erik's gaze locked on the hand on his arm for a moment. He liked the feel of her hands on him. Erik did not like others touching him unless in intimate moments. Touch had always meant pain in his life. He had not completely won that battle yet. He found he did not mind that her hands lingered on him a little longer than considered proper or what he normally would have tolerated. Where she touched a pleasant warmth began to radiate outward from her hands covering his skin.

Still with her right hand on his arm she turned to face Raoul. Smiling just a little to take the sting from her words she said, "Raoul you will apologize to him. Let us forget this. Shake hands then we will see about lunch."

Both men approached the other stiffly. Both were grinding their teeth. Neither wanted to be the first to offer their hand. If cutting off one hand would have been satisfactory both would have sawed off the appendage themselves. Raoul saw the frown beginning to mar Katherine's face. He reluctantly began to raise his hand. Not to be one upped Erik quickly offered his own hand first. Each man gripped firmly. As the seconds past with neither man letting go they were once again the center of attention. Their knuckles were beginning to whiten from the grip each man had on his opponents hand.

With her hand still on Erik's arm Katherine gently stroked her hand down his arm like one would do to sooth a skittish animal. She continued her stroking as she whispered just for his ears, "Please Erik. Please."

Erik looked at her his eyes searching her face. With the suddenness of a lightening strike he felt a familiar heat shoot throughout him. Scorching heat boiling his blood with need. White hot stark desire consumed him. He had felt that heat before many times. Never this instant or this demanding. _**Son of a bitch. Why her? Why now? Shit**_. He had let go of Raoul's hand without even noticing. He flexed his aching fingers. The pain did not make itself felt on a conscious level. He flexed his fingers in automatic reaction to being mistreated. Erik took very good care of his hands. He was once and would always be a musician. He still composed. The only difference was now he had been published.

Erik felt a claustrophobic feeling overtaking him. He was out in the open yet he felt more closed in than he had ever felt in the cellars of The Paris Opera House. He quickly excused himself. Katherine stared at his fast retreating back. Just when she thought he might be nice after all he acted as if she had some horrid disease. She could think of nothing she had said to make him retreat so hurriedly.

After lunch those that had stayed collected the buckets to pick the strawberries while Martin and Gamm stayed to finish the ice-cream they had been working on since lunch was finished. Almost everyone had said their goodbyes with many invitations to visit them in return. Katherine was flushed with excitement. Even with the mishaps of the day her old friends were still her friends. The others did not really matter..

The only outside guests left were a few married couples, Emily, Erik, Nadir, Darius and another friend of Katherine's from her childhood, Hayden Lawrence Sinclair. His father had been a supporter of the theatre for the last few years. When his father died he took his place as benefactor to performers who showed promising talent but had little financial means to support themselves. He seemed quite taken with Christine. A man in his mid twenties he was quite wealthy. His mother badgered him to marry so he could provide her with an heir. He had avoided all the traps his mother set for him. When he met the woman he wanted he would know. It would be his choice.

Christine was frustrated as well as somewhat angry. Every time she looked to find Erik or Raoul they seemed to both be hovering around Katherine. Christine's fists doubled in fury when Raoul handed Katherine a glass of lemonade. Could she not have walked the five feet the pitcher getting her own drink? Erik looked as if at any moment he was going to jump between them. Had Raoul fallen so quickly for Katherine? He was always susceptible to a damsel in distress. Erik, well he had always had a eye for beauty. not that Christine was willing to admit that Katherine was beautiful. Why could she, Christine, not have them both until she could make up her mind? Just when she felt for sure who had won her total heart something would happen to make her doubt her decision.

Perhaps she could make them notice her through jealousy. After all Hayden was an attractive man. He was wealthy. They had the opera in common. Why not? She had substituted one man for another before. She would just be more careful this time. Remembering her last evening with Michael she shuddered. He had not taken their parting well. He had threatened to kill himself. In the end he had taken himself back to England where he married the first suitable woman he met. Luckily for him she turned out to be a sweet caring young woman who had eventually won Michael's heart. He had written her a letter telling her about his life. Christine had been so busy with her search for Erik while she pined for him she had forgotten about Michael. When she received his letter she did feel some remorse. Finding Erik in America had quickly become her one priority.

Nadir was quite out of practice wooing a lady but his innate gentlemanly manners along with his kind nature made him a natural when it came to reassuring skittish insecure people. Had he not had twenty-three years practice watching over Erik? If he could handle Erik and all his dramas surely he could handle one young woman as he tried to convince her of his worthiness to even speak with her. Although she had been quite receptive to his feeble attempts all day. She had not looked bored. They had managed to find many different subjects in common to while away the afternoon, in between bouts of worry with the antics of both Erik and Raoul. They were both acting like little boys fighting over some object instead of a woman they both professed to love.

"Mrs. Giry might I escort you out of this sun? There is a vacant bench right over there under the shade of that tree. Then if it pleases you I can get a glass of cold lemonade for you." Nadir was quite aware that Meg was not married but he went along with the farse so he would not embarrass her.

Meg was quite taken with Nadir. She remembered seeing at the opera house in Paris. He was either alone or with the giant man standing at his side today. The man she knew now as Darius. He was a quiet spoken man. She sensed a seething volcano under all that calm. If she was not as big a hot air balloon she would definitely find Nadir worthy of flirting. He had not left her side all day. She hoped he was not under the impression she was an invalid.

That would be humiliating especially in lieu of her recent naughty dreams usually brought on by having spied a particularly attractive man. Since being pregnant she had caught herself perusing attractive men she saw on the street or met in shops. Her dreams were blush worthy. If Christine did not have such a mess going on in her own life with Raoul and Erik she would confide in her. Of course she would have to leave out the wicked dreams she had of Raoul when she remembered him standing in that hall with nothing but his wide open robe not really covering a thing. She had awoken breathing heavily as if she had just danced for hours without stopping. It was quite shocking really. She could not confide in Katherine is case she had feelings for Raoul. Fawn she knew for certain idolized the man. She put her hand on her stomach to commune silently with her baby. **_So what do you think little one? Should I take a chance that he might find me attractive? She felt several hard thumps. I quite agree._**

Erik felt like a third thumb. He could not seem to stop himself from mooning over Katherine. He had tried to convince himself that he was just trying to be polite, to make amends for his earlier behavior. That excuse, would only have held water if Katherine had still been angry. On the contrary she seemed to have forgotten the whole thing. Now if he could just find a way to trip Raoul sending him into the slimy pond he had been forced to walk in earlier everything would be as it should be. Erik had almost given up earlier forfeiting the game when he had seen Raoul's look of challenge. Raoul would love to claim another victory over him. Well it would rain frogs before he gave that dandy anything else to hang over his head.

Emily had girded her loins and pulled Matthew behind the side of the house. Catching him standing alone she grabbed his hand then pulled him behind her. She was sure if this had been in any other situation she would be dead by now but damn it the man would just not take hints. Her mother always told her to grab what she wanted. She taught her to go after what she wanted with everything she had. Men were not the only ones who had needs and wants to be tended to in this life. She whipped him around kissing him soundly on the lips. Not a quick peck like lovers sneaking out at parties for a little exchange of affection. She locked her lips to his delving her tongue deeply into his mouth. Before he could react she had let him go. She left him standing open mouthed leaning against the side of the house. He was shocked from his head to his heels. Looking after her a fire kindled in his eyes. Tonight he would make certain he was close to Miss Emily. Real close. Licking his lips to taste the last of her on his lips he smiled wickedly.

Katherine gathered everyone who wanted to go to the berry patch. It seemed everyone would be taking part. It took about a half an hour to reach the spot her mother had laid out as the berry patch. Everyone just went there own way. Fawn and Dove watched Christine. Sure enough the girl headed toward the patch that had the ripest, biggest, juiciest berries. They were also nearest the poison ivy. Katherine had not thought to warn everyone. She had the stable boys clearing out the vines but they had not gotten all of them yet. Katherine assumed most knew about the vine and would avoid it.

Meg, Raoul and Nadir started to follow in behind Christine. Fawn quickly went to direct them to another area where she assured them they would fill there buckets quickly. She warned them to fill them only half way otherwise the bottom berries would become crushed. She glanced back at White Dove. Nodding her head toward Christine White Dove returned the nod following Christine while making sure she did not get anywhere near the vines.

Buckets filled, everyone returned where Gamm quickly washed the sliced the berries adding them to the ice-cream. Each dish wash topped with freshly whipped cream garnished by a sliced strawberry.

The sun gradually began to lower toward the horizon. Darkness gradually fell. An almost full moon lit up the night sky. Everyone sat around casually speaking waiting for the wagon to arrive for their moonlight hayride. The couples were treasing one another abut kisses when the clouds hid the half moon.

The wagon arrived. The ladies began to chatter. Something about riding around in a hay wagon through the countryside at night with moonight for company that brought romance to their minds. Even Christine spoke with animation to Meg holding her hand in excitement. To add to the romance a man with a violin and one with an accordion had been brought along for ambience as well as cover for private conversations. This idea had been suggested by Emily during one her visits during the week. She had plans for a serious discussion with a certain lock jawed man.

Everyone began to pile on the wagon. Christine had planned to get next to Erik but before she knew how it happened Hayden had pulled her away from Meg then onto the wagon firmly seating her beside him. Another two couples climbed in blocking any possibility of Erik sitting anywhere in her vicinity.

Meg climbed in assisted by Nadir. Erik was next. He climbed up taking a seat beside the hay bale instead of on it. That put a distance between him and Nadir. Having seen how smitten Nadir was, Erik thought he would give him a chance for a little privacy. He had best make his move for Meg quickly. If Antoinette arrived before they had made any further advances in their relationship he knew her mother would build a fence around her so high he would need to perfect the art of climbing just to speak with Meg. Considering her current condition Erik hoped Nadir moved quickly. Giving her grandchild a legal name would go a long way in winning Antoinette's approval.

Darius sat down on the other side of the wagon as there was only enough space left for one beside Erik. He had no intentions of spending the next couple of hours sittng beside Erik. He had his eye on Dove. Erik could damn well sit alone if no one dared sit beside him. It was his own fault if thart was how things turned out. Darius turned before he went to sit to help Dove into the wagon.

No mysteries there either Erik surmised. The two had been keeping company all day. Not touching just speaking. Smiling with unspoken promises in their eyes. It gave Erik a lonely feeling he would not openly admit he felt to observe all the couples sitting together. Why he had not taken Christine by the hand and pulled her in after him he was not certain he could find any logical reasoning behind his failure to jump at the chance to have her beside him. Deep in his subconscious he knew why he had not done so. He also knew who he did want sitting beside him.

Katherine had been turned around speaking to Fawn and Raoul when Fawn told her it was her turn to climb in. Climbing in she stopped suddenly when she saw who she would have to sit next to for the next two hours. She could sit next to Fawn but it would be obvious that she was avoiding sitting by Erik. Really there was no reason not to sit by him. Had they not declared somewhat of a truce for the remainder of the day? Well at least she had. He had walked away as if she might have some form of contamination. She was somewhat sorry now she had told Martin to take the long circuit around the property.

Erik was none too pleased either. He had spent the last bit of the evening getting rid of the feel of her on his skin. A few drinks along with thinking of Christine had helped. Now the damn woman was all but in his lap. If she tried to scoot to the edge any further the first bump would toss her over the edge. Erik considered pressing his boot to her delectable behind at the first opportunity. His eyes caught hers as she glanced in his direction. She smiled tentatively. Well maybe not the first bump.

"Well I suppose since we must sit near each other for the next two hours we should try to be civil. Well at least I will. I thought we had mended our differences but I guess you still harbor animosity. If I apologize for the other day would it make a difference? Would it help if you knew that Meg and Christine think me less than a woman for attacking a man? Raoul and Matthew cannot stop commenting on it. Matthew asks Raoul over and over what maneuvers I used. Raoul thinks it's just pride. I know it is so he can test me. I have yet to take him to the ground. When Raoul told him about you he wondered how I got the better of you. Truthfully I wonder myself if half what Raoul says is true."

"Is that all you people can to talk about? Me and my lacking ability to take a pint sized woman down? One who took me down instead? I am sure Raoul enjoyed that tremendously."

"May I speak freely?" At his silent nod she continued, "Oh he did until Christine defended you. She told of how skilled you are with weapons. After being offended by having his wife defend you he was further humiliated to know first hand how she came by the information. She seems to know you quite well. What sort of life did you have before when you knew them? They both refuse to speak of it although it is clearly a bone of contention between them. Raoul told me some but I am sure not all."

She felt him stiffen beside her so quickly added, "Oh do not worry he gave nothing away of your secret life only the aftermath concerning his marriage. That is as much as I am willing to say about his personal life. So who are you really?"

"Just a man."

"No. You are much more than that. Lone Wolf, or rather Matthew, has already given you a name. Shadow Man. He says it is because he sees shadows in you and around you. He claims you live in the shadow world. Do not stay in that place much longer Erik. It is not a safe or happy place to be. I suppose even you deserve more than the place of shadows."

Erik made no reply. Silence was her only answer so she contented herself looking at the others noticing some daring contact between some of the couples. The two married couples shared quick kisses with promises of more when the moon went behind the next cloud.

Fawn had managed to sit beside Raoul. Katherine was a bit surprised to see the shy quiet Lone Dove speaking to the big man Darius. He was surely some grand warrior. Katherine knew she would be making sure she stayed on his right side.

A bump in the road had Katherine flying in the air nearly falling over the edge. For all his grand planning to shove her over the edge at the first opportunity Erik's hands moved so quickly they would hardly have been seen even if the moon had not at that moment gone behind a cloud. He pulled her back from the edge. Falling back against Erik she leaned against him heavily as her heart pounded at her near miss. Instinctively Erik wrapped his arm around her. Pulling her into a sitting position he continued to hold her with his hand splayed over her stomach.

"Sorry folks, couldn't see that in the lantern light. Won't happen again unless some folks need an excuse to hold their woman close." Martin laughed at his own good humor.

Katherine swallowed loudly. At least to her it sounded loud. Flicking her eyes around she could see no one paying any attention to anyone other than the person beside them. When her heart should have been slowing, now it seemed to beat twice the rhythm as before.

She put her hand over his with the thought of pulling his hand away. As her hand came to rest on his, Erik placed his other hand over hers scooting her back even closer until she was flush against him. When she made no protest he rubbed his left cheek against hers. He dipped his head just enough to place his lips on her neck. He nuzzled her neck as he brought his left hand up to cup her jaw.

Erik thought he must have drank too much or be under some other influence to even contemplate anything on a personal level with this woman while he still had issues with Christine. At one time just the thought of Christine would have his fantasies working overtime. Now his thoughts were centered on the woman sitting in his lap. Thank God they were on the end. He was surely going to die tonight. if anyone found out even a portion of his thoughts he was a dead man. Just before he turned her for his kiss he whispered in her ear, "You can say no. Say it now. If not I will consider that consent."

"No?" Katherine did not even realize she spoke let alone what she said. The word came out in a question not in a rebuff.

Katherine was lost in a sea of emotions. The only embraces she had shared with men this close she considered brothers. The hot tension invading her body was not the feeling one has for a brother. Katherine had never even shared a kiss with a man other than her father when she was a child. Lone Wolf only hugged her. Never kissed her. Raoul had hugged her many times along with kissing her cheek. None of his embraces made her feel this way.

When Erik turned to her, covering her mouth with his, at first the sheer shock of the heat coursing through her at the mere touch of lips to lips stunned Katherine so completely she could only stare at the sky over his shoulder. When his hand touched her breast her eyes snapped shut at the shock as well as the pleasurable sensations racing around her body seeming not to know where to settle. When they settled low in her belly and the place where her thighs met she squirmed. Something must be wrong with her. Some illness. No not an illness. It felt, well it felt good. She had never felt this before. Whatever it was she knew there had to be more.

Slowly she placed her hands on his chest. Erik's tongue had been stroking her lips. It felt nice. More than nice. It felt maddening. In her inexperience her lips were firmly clamped together. She wanted to taste him as he was tasting her. Katherine did not know if he would like that or not. Just because it made her insides heat and melt, that did not mean it would do anything for him.

In frustration Erik placed the palms of his hands on either side of her face. He ran his thumbs over her lips trying to get her to relax a little. When they remained tight as a locked box he used his thumbs on her bottom lip to gently pull coaxing them open. Once he had them open he shot his tongue in to caress hers. When he heard her sharp intake of breath his thought was **_"Oh shit she is going to scream. I am a dead man. There are at least four men who will gladly kill me for stepping out of line._**

It was his turn to be shocked. She did not scream. She returned his kiss with more enthusiasm than experience. She wrapped her arms around his neck holding him tightly. Erik just thanked a merciful God in this one instance the moon had gone behind a cloud. If he could not see then no one else could either. He had even opened his eyes to assure himself of this fact. He was accustomed to darkness. Even he had trouble seeing anything distinctive. He said a silent prayer of thanks for whoever thought of placing the hay bales so strategically.

Erik had not planned on this. His only intention had been to aid her as any gentleman would. Somewhere between his mind and his hands and lips the message of aid had been lost then replaced by entice and seduce. Erik knew he had to slow things down before the moon came out again. All he needed was to be caught taking advantage of Katherine. Well to them it would seem that way. Hell if he did not know the truth he would not believe him either. Katherine's rather loud lustful groan drew him from his introspection to the problem at hand. As much as he wanted to hear her cries of pleasure he did not wish to share them with the others. The veil of darkness could only hide so much.

Pulling his lips from hers he heard her protest, "Erik no. I want more." Katherine had never felt anything so wonderful as his soft lips on her own.

Her whispered words went straight to his manhood. If he had been hard before now he felt like granite. The woman was a danger to herself and others without even knowing that simple fact. He whispered in her ear, "Shh. now is not the time or place as much as I want to continue this I think it would be unwise. We have a few too many companions. I will ease your discomfort as best I can." He had no idea if she even knew to what he referred or if she was too innocent to know of such things.

How could he know of her discomfort? She was not even sure what it was. She just knew between her thighs burned with a pleasant heat. Good Lord above. If he knew did anyone else? Katherine glanced around. She had all but forgotten there were other people around. She placed her cold clammy hands to her warm cheeks. What had the man done to her? She knew it was wrong but if he had not stopped she would have gone wherever he led. Katherine could not manage to squeak one syllable past her kiss swollen lips. She began to pull back scooting away from him. She was headed heedlessly back to the edge. Another foot and she would be hitting the ground rather hard.

It pleased him that he flustered her that much. From what Erik had learned she had become quite an extraordinary woman with unusual talents and strengths. A few of those he had felt first hand. Erik's hands shot out stopping her movement as he explained in a mere whisper of sound, "I did not mean you had to move so far away. I just meant we could not go any further. I did not mean I did not want to continue. Come, I will show you how I can give you a taste of what is to come."

Without even any thought she found herself held tightly to his chest with her back pressed against him once more. That left questions floating around in Katherine's head. She knew next to nothing about intimacy or what it entailed. Her mother had never told her anything as she had not yet become a woman. At least not in that respect of what marks a woman's first step into womanhood. She could not imagine her mother ever discussing something so personal even with her own daughter. When she had her first cycle one of the older women had shown her what to do to take care of herself. Nothing more. All that Katherine knew about the closeness between women and men in the most intimate act was what she overheard from snippets of conversation.

She had never had anyone to explain what happened between women and men or what the result could be. She had her own ideas. When she would have conversations with Fawn and White Dove they would speculate what would take place when a couple would marry or when they followed Lone Wolf on one of his walks to the bushes with a young maiden. In all their conversations this burning heat between a woman's thighs never had been mentioned. She did not think this was something she wished to share or even if she could bring herself to speak of it.

Erik continued to hold her close. Whenever the moon drifted behind a cloud he would nibble her neck and jaw. When it seemed as if the moon had gone into hiding for the remainder of the night Erik felt emboldened to ease what he thought might be her first sensations for sexual release. He would ease the sensations for Katherine. Her kiss was not one of a woman with experience or even one who had kissed before. Her innocent response had fueled his desire almost to the point he lost control. He had curbed his desires just enough to dampen his need for urgent possession.

Hoping he would not frighten her he slowly gripped the skirt of her dress as he continued to kiss her neck as he whispered words of praise for her beauty. He spoke in French which he always did when doing anything intimate with a woman. He could express more in his own language. It always inspired him to new heights even if the woman could not understand one word he spoke. Working the material up her legs a handful at a time as he continued to kiss her he at last reached the hem. Smoothing the material over her in such a way that it hid the fact that he was about to commit an act not quite acceptable in such a situation. His eyes darted around to be sure everyone else had there own interests he continued when all he found were couples either enjoying each other or conversing with the ones next to them. He could barely see over the bales of hay that had been lined along the outer edge of the wagon and some in the middle for addtional seating if needed. Since no one had sat there it made a wonderful barrier between all the couples.

Encountering her undergarments Erik kissed her ear sliding his tongue round the delicate curve of her ear. What Erik was contemplating he had never done with a woman before. Not the act itself. He had given this type of pleasure many times to many different women. What he had never done before was give a woman pleasure knowing he would be left rock hard desperate for a release he knew would not come soon. Nor did he expect it to be a woman's hand bringing his release. Erik was a very selfish man at times. He was generous during sex but he demanded a return for what he gave. With Katherine it excited him just to know he would be the first giving her this type of experience. It almost excited him as much as the knowledge that he could be her first lover.

He untied the ribbons that held her undergarment together. Her breathing had quickened. He smiled as she squirmed unconsciously spreading her legs into an accommodating invitation to explore. Sometimes instincts took one where one needed to go. Her back was pressed tightly against him. His left arm was wrapped around her just underneath her firm breasts. He moved his left hand over her right breast to tease the tip with his fingertips. He could feel the nipple hardening into a tight bud under his ministrations. For an untried woman she was willing to let him do more than he dared hope. He had thought the most he would get would be a few stolen kisses. This was beyond anything he would have thought possible.

Using his left hand he turned her so he could reach her mouth. This time her mouth eagerly opened at the first touch of his lips on hers. This pleased Erik that she was so willing to learn so willing to share what he could teach her. He was a man of considerable experience now. He knew how to take what he needed as well as give his partner what she needed. He had never left a woman unsatisfied.

Dipping his right hand beneath the last layer separating his hand from her most secret intimate need he found her wet and ready. He mentally cursed the fact that he could not take her as he wanted. He consoled himself that this would not be the last time they would have this intimacy. It did not occur to him he presumed too much or risked her reputation.

Finding her pleasure point her covered her mouth with his own to still the pleasurable moan he knew would be forthcoming. At his first stroke she stiffened then she seemed to be possessed of some sexual creature for surely no virgin would do what she did or react as she did. At least in his limited experience he did not think so. He had never had a virgin so he could not say with any certainty how a virgin would behave.

Her hand joining his under the cover of her dress did take him by surprise. For a young woman of her station even to allow a man to of such short acquaintance to kiss her was scandalous. Well really it would be considered scandalous for any woman of any social class. Erik was well aware of what society claimed as decent and what went on behind closed doors. There were many skeletons rattling around in the closets of high society.

Katherine reached behind her to bring his lips to hers once more. This kiss was not the kiss of an innocent. This was a kiss given by a woman to a man she wanted to share her whole self with in the most intimate way possible. As his strokes quickened he caught her gasp of pleasure into his own mouth. She used her hand to guide his down between her legs. Knowing what she wanted he was just surprised she knew of this pleasure. Perhaps it is an inborn need that just needs to be awakened. Giving her what she needed he inserted a finger into her wetness.

He only inserted one finger gently so she would only feel sensations of delight not anything uncomfortable. He eased into her. She bit his lip in reaction. Not hard just enough to give pleasure not pain. Once she loosened up she responded like any experienced woman would. He was careful. He had no wish to take her innocence. At least not in this manner. This was just to satisfy his need to know the answer. Why it angered him to think another man may have taken these same liberties he did not even want to try to solve that riddle. He was a little unsettled by what his answer might be. The relief he felt when he felt that little barrier had him squeezing her tightly as he wrapped his left arm tighter around her. He nuzzled her neck.

Removing his finger from the wet entrance to her womanhood he returned to her little nub. He continued to stroke her until she stiffened gripping his hand while digging her nails into the back of his hand. He would be lucky if he could get out of the house in the morning without having to explain to Nadir how he came to have nail marks on the back of his hand.

After the first stiffening she bucked against his hand a few times then fell against him. He waited for her breath to return to normal. For once his luck held. The moon stayed hidden while everyone seemed to have interests of their own. Erik's eyes narrowed with malice when he saw de Chagny sitting by the woman Katherine had told him was called Fawn. Erik smiled at the picture that flashed through his head of Raoul jumping around after having his hair removed by Matthew. The smile quickly disappeared when the same picture had him doing the dance.

"You...we...I... You never.." Katherine was a jumble of emotions. Right or wrong she did not regret what had just happened. She wanted it again. She wanted more.

"Shh. I am fine. Do not worry. This was for you." **_Liar. This was for you. You wanted to lay your claim on her even if the two of you are the only ones who know. You wanted her to go to bed tonight and dream of you. You want her so badly you can almost taste her already._**

"But I can...for you ..we can do the same for you. I...I mean do men...how? What do men do?"

Erik chuckled at her suggestion and her innocence. She really was untouched. There were so many things he could teach her. Wanted to teach her. Not now. It would have to wait until another time. As much as he wanted it he dare not risk giving in to his baser desires just yet. The ride was nearly at an end. He really would end up dead if he was caught with his trousers down, literally. He could wait. Now that he knew she wanted it too he would have her.

He whispered in her ear after a brief kiss to her temple, "Trust me sweetheart, it is better not to tempt the lion in his own hunting ground. Your brother would kill me and rightly so. Hell he would be within his rights to kill me for what just happened." Erik wrapped both his arms around her pulling her back willingly against his chest. Damn if even this was not even more satisfying than some more intimate things he had done with women.

"Erik?" Katherine whispered the barely heard question.

"Yes Katherine?" Erik kissed the side of her neck.

"I like how you smell." When she heard his chuckle she thought she had said something she should not. "Should I have not said that? I do not know about all this man woman thing." He chuckled again. She was simply delightful.

Squeezing just a bit he said, "Thank you for the compliment. Shall I tell you a secret? When I put my cologne on today I hoped you would get close enough to appreciate it and like it as well. I am glad you like it." As soon as the admission left his lips he cursed his wayward tongue. The woman made him lose all sense of self-preservation. When Katherine snuggled closer and leaned her body back against his chest he did think perhaps she might find it flattering that he had attempted to impress her. He had denied any such thing to Nadir and Darius. He still would as they would receive too much pleasure from the knowledge that a little slip of woman had him behaving like an adolescent with his first crush.

He was damn grateful Katherine had not noticed the trembling in his hands as he touched her. This strange occurrence only happened when Katherine was in the vicinity of wherever he happened to be. He would admit only to himself that he was becoming more intrigued with this woman each time he met her. What if anything that meant for his feelings for Christine he could not honestly say as they had not been alone to have any sort of conversation. He had to admit she did still make him harder than crowbar when she was against him. Katherine did also. With her though, it went beyond the mere physical aspect. Even without touch she affected him.

A ride that had seemed to be far too lengthy in the beginning now ended all too quickly as far as Katherine was concerned.


	34. Chapter 33

**A/N: It was just pointed out to me recently that I may not be getting reviews because I did not allow anonymous reviews. I did not know that I had the power to take or reject them. Sure enough when I checked it said disabled. I hope this means I will be getting tons more reviews. Please.**

**Chapter Thirty-three**

**Night Ends, New Day Begins**

On returning everyone began their good-byes. Katherine made her farewells to the couples who had stayed. Out of the corner of her eye she tried to keep track of Erik. She became distracted when everyone decided to have one last cup of tea or coffee with a slice of strawberry rhubarb pie Mrs. Graham baked while everyone was away.

Erik drifted around to the back of the house for a few moments alone. He was a mass of conflicting thoughts. He stood on the terrace with his hands in his pockets trying to sort out all the emotions he had churning around inside him. What was he to do with Christine if he decided to pursue Katherine? Had he decided to pursue her or only take her to his bed to satisfy a need that had ignited when he first looked in her eyes as she pinned him to the floor? A step behind him brought a smile to his lips. He thought Katherine had followed him once her duties as hostess had been fulfilled.

Christine had seen Erik walking around the side of the house. He was alone. Now was her chance. She had intended to go take a bath. Some pesky insects must have bitten her because she had small spots on her face and arms that itched like mad. If she had not wanted to speak with Erik so badly she would have already been deep in a warm bubble bath at this moment instead of sneaking away to corner him while he was alone. This just might be her only chance for a while.

"Christine?" It sounded more like a surprised question than a welcoming acknowledgement when Erik turned to face her. Christine was not happy with his response. After his greeting earlier she had expected more of a welcome. In her mind she had seen him striding forcefully toward her wrapping his strong arms around her then swinging her up in the air. Her romantic imaginings were far better than reality. If she had any pride she would concentrate on Hayden and leave both Erik and Raoul alone. Not having any good sense when it came to what was good for her, nor pride in any great supply, Christine ignored what her mind was trying to convey.

"Erik I have been trying all day to speak to you alone. I do not know how to say all I want to say. I have missed you so much. I have regretted every day we have been apart. Please tell me that you have missed me as well." Christine's eyes were a mixture of pleading and lustful intentions.

Not being able to stay away from him any longer she went to him encircling his waist with her arms. He felt wonderful. Warm. Strong. Real. His smell was incredible. He was different than Raoul. For a moment the fleeting picture of Raoul gave her pause. She ignored the stab to her heart. She brushed all misgivings aside. Had she not wanted this for three years? If one counted before the disaster it was even longer.

"Erik, kiss me, please. Kiss me as a man who desires a woman. I know it is wrong of me to think of such things or speak of them but I have waited so long. I no longer care what is right or wrong. Please Erik. Kiss me as I have wanted you to for so long. I need you."

"Christine, what about your husband? Do you intend for him to find us then have him attempt to kill me? The last plea I made for your love nearly ended in the loss of my life as well as Raoul's. Countless others suffered as well. I destroyed the only home I had known. What will it cost me this time? What price will I have to pay?" Erik bit out the words drenched in bitterness. This confrontation was what he had been needing for many years. He just realized that he held such bitter feelings toward Christine in his heart along with all the other feelings roiling around inside him.

"If you only knew how I regretted all that happened. I have searched these past three years for you. I hired a detective to trace you. I risked my marriage so I could be with you again. I love you Erik. God curse me but I cannot help how I feel. I love you. I have told Raoul how I feel. We have not been together as man and wife for a long time." She could stand no more. Stretching up she kissed him with all the passion that had burned inside her over the past three barren years without him. The flash of Raoul's hurt face she shoved away. She would have what she wanted at all costs.

After only a moment's hesitation Erik returned her kiss. All his years of longing, loving this woman went into the first kiss he shared with Christine. He did not consider their first two as shared kisses. He had been too stunned, too enamored with his angel to respond. At first his shock then the raging sensations of lust jolting throughout his body had kept his hands at his sides. Not this time. This time he would let her feel all his emotions. Exactly what they were he was not sure. Lust topped the list. Where was the flood of tenderness he had always felt when he thought of Christine? Where was the love he thought never to rid himself of? It was hard to unravel one's emotions when in the throes of passion. What the hell did it matter at this moment anyway? He had a warm willing woman in his arms. One he had cared deeply for at one time. He could wonder and worry over feelings when his passion had been soothed.

Christine groaned as she felt him responding. She threaded her hands through his hair. She felt his hands at her bodice. She lowered her hands to help him not caring that at any moment anyone might come along looking for them. Undoing several buttons then the ribbons laced at the top of her lace camisole Erik pushed his hand greedily inside capturing one lush ripe breast.

Tearing her lips from his Christine said with barely restrained passion, "Come back after everyone has gone to bed. I will be waiting at the gazebo by the pond. We can be together as we both want. Oh Erik, I have wanted to make love to you for so long. I have dreamed of it."

If Erik did not know for certain he was awake he would swear he himself was in the middle of a dream. This was the second woman in one evening to bring him to the brink of erupting in blissful surrender. What he would have answered he honestly could not say. Before he could form a reply they both heard a shocked gasp. Erik jerked his head up as Christine spun around forgetting for the moment she was hardly decent. They saw a shocked Katherine standing underneath the lantern. Her eyes were wide with shock as well as hurt. Before too much could be given away her eyes lowered. Damned if she would let them see her hurt. She straightened her spine standing as erect as possible. She would not cower nor shrink away with her tail between her legs.

She brought her head up proudly trying to instill her outer confidence inwardly. Inside she thought she might shatter at any moment. She cursed the tears she felt stinging the corner of her eyes. She prayed they did not fall until she was no longer within their sight.

"I am so sorry. I...I was...I thought you might be here when I could not find you. Nadir said he saw you come this way." Her eyes flicked to Christine's opened bodice then to Erik's own opened shirt. It did not take much imagination to guess what she had interrupted. Even though at that time they had been merely holding each other close they had been caressing one another shortly before. That was obvious even to the most unobservant person, which Katherine was not. What had gone on before was much more than what Katherine had shared with Erik less than half an hour ago. In this encounter they had both participated. The man had the attention span of a rabbit. They flitted from partner to partner as well. Well she was not a rabbit. She sure as hell would not share anything or anyone with Christine.

"Again I apologize for interrupting. I wish you both good night." Christine ran to Katherine's side grabbing her arm. If Christine had known anything about Katherine's last few years she would not have grabbed her nor proceeded to threaten her. She would have taken greater care while fearing for her life.

"Do not think of telling Raoul. If you do I shall make you very sorry." Christine became a little less sure of her actions when she saw a strange frightening look enter Katherine's eyes.

Katherine jerked her arm from Christine's grasp then spoke low but with such ferocity in every word, "Christine, do not ever lay a hand on me again. If you do you will not enjoy the aftermath. As for Raoul, I care too much for him to hurt him with this betrayal. Do not worry. I will not be telling Raoul. I suppose this means you have made your decision. Fawn may now freely pursue Raoul. By the way I would appreciate it if in the morning you would announce that you will be leaving to move back to Richmond. I do not care what reason you give just be out by the end of the week. I am sure Mr. Fontaine will take you in if you cannot find accommodations."

"It might be wise to sneak in the back way later after your, _**friend**_ leaves. I will be sure the door is left unlocked. You might not want to put that dress in the laundry. Fawn and Dove are innocent but not stupid. It appears to be ripped. A couple of buttons are missing. One would think you could at least have managed to wait until everyone had gone to bed. I had felt sorry for Raoul for losing you before but now I see you are not worthy of his regard. I feel he had a narrow escape."

Christine's hand rose to strike Katherine's cheek. It never made contact. Katherine caught it mid swing gripping her wrist so tightly Christine's hand began to go numb. Katherine possessed more strength than one would guess just by looking at her.

Katherine stepped closer to Christine then continued in a lower more threatening tone, "Remember. Do not ever touch me again. You should be glad I stopped your hand from hitting its target. Next time I will let you find out what happens next." Christine stepped back in genuine fear. Katherine did not look quite civilized in that moment.

"As for you Mr. Fontaine I will say good-night. I am sure you will understand if I prefer not to see you socially again. I will honor your wishes for privacy in the office as I will expect you to do the same." Katherine did not give either Christine or Erik the option of a reply. She almost ran back into the house.

Erik had stood by letting this drama play out. He was torn how he should react to any of this. Should he not be jumping to the moon? He could have Christine completely. She was willing, even eager. What was stopping him from feeling triumph? He had won out over Raoul. Why did he feel as if he had lost more than he won? Where was the flood of relief he should be feeling that she would finally be his? Why was his heart not racing in joy? Moments ago it had raced in lust but he could not remember feeling anything other than lust after his first moments when he remembered how he once felt for Christine. Somewhere in that thought he felt was the key. He could not think now. He would have to pacify Christine somehow then try to find Katherine to mend things with her as well. Who would have thought he would ever actually be trying to pacify two women in one evening? If anyone had suggested such a thing he would have considered them either teasing or insane.

"I suppose we should say goodnight." He took Christine's hands kissing each one then her cheek. Dropping her hands he stepped away from her preparing to walk past her. Christine grabbed his arm stopping him mid step.

"You will not be coming back this evening will you? Is it Katherine? Do not think I did not notice how you followed her around like a puppy. Both you and Raoul made fools of yourselves. I saw you during the wagon ride. I could not see everything but I did not need sight to know what went on in the dark. Perhaps if you knew who she really is you would not want her. Did you know she lived as a savage for eight years? She lived with Matthew and Fawn in the same teepee. They say it was as brother and sister but I do not believe them. Even her own father thinks she has had many men. He thought she was the camp whore. Is that what you want? The camp whore?" If Erik had known of any of Christine's last years using men he might have suggested she look in the mirror. Her own reflection would not look so innocent. Of course at this time he knew none of this so he could not say any such thing. Christine could think it though which she did not like one bit.

"Have you forgotten what I used to be Christine? My past is not anything I am proud of. Christine I think it is best for everyone if I leave and do not come back. We can meet in town later on in the week. Why not stop by the opera house? We will be having auditions for our new production. You should audition for a part. Even if you and Raoul are not really together he is still your husband. It would still be a betrayal. The way he acted today I had thought you were still together at least as far as he was concerned."

"Shall I come to you then? When I leave here shall I move in with you Erik?" She hated the pleading tone in her voice. Why did it not sound as wonderful when said out loud? She should be feeling triumphant. Erik was back in her life. He had forgiven her. Raoul no longer wanted her so he had no ill will toward her for seeking out Erik. The pain stabbing into her heart at this thought her pride would not let her acknowledge. Raoul meant nothing to her other than he was a kind man who she had briefly loved. He was a man who had given her his name, a name she still carried.

"No Christine, it would not be proper." Proper? Since when did he care for propriety? What the hell was wrong with him? Had he let his lustful inclinations for one woman drive out the love he should feel for the other? Did he still love Christine, or were those feelings earlier today only an echo of what he had carried around in his heart and mind for so long? The lust he could understand. Any man would have responded to a beautiful woman promising the things Christine had been willing to share with him.

A year ago, hell a month ago he might not have given a damn about protecting her reputation. His only thought would have been how quickly he could have gotten her into his bed. If tonight was an example, he would not have had to try very hard to achieve the results he would have wanted. Would have wanted? Was that not what he still sought, to bed her, to have her as his own?

Katherine's voice coming through the terrace doors drifted out to him. Damn if his first instinct was to follow her voice. He needed to put some distance between himself and Christine until he could sort this out. He had no wish to be cruel or unkind. He more than anyone knew what rejection did to ones self esteem. He needed to be firm but kind.

"There are three men in my house. It would ruin your reputation. If you need financial assistance to stay at a hotel I will help." Surely the boy would not abandon her in a strange country without any means of support, although if he were the man Christine would not be breathing about now let alone worrying about where to stay. Where had the feeling of exhilaration gone for winning out over Raoul? He had taken Christine back from his one time rival. Or he could if he wished. He should feel something.

Bidding Christine a hasty good-night Erik left her standing on the terrace with a bewildered look on her face. She was not the only one who felt as if they did not know what just happened or why. Erik was simmering in confusion. God damn it why must everything be so complicated? All he wanted was a woman of his own. One he could count on to be there in the morning when he woke and when he laid his head on his pillow at night. If she were one who did not pick his pockets clean that too, would be welcome.

As soon as he saw Nadir and Darius he knew he was in trouble. Everyone else appeared to have left the sitting room and gone to other parts of the house. He could hear quiet conversation coming from somewhere down the long hallway leading to another sitting area.

"Well I hope you are happy. What the hell did you do? One evening. I ask for one evening of worry free time. What did you do to Katherine? She ran past us all as if she had the hounds of hell directly behind her. I can see it is only you although the distinction is getting less clear with time. So what did you do?" Darius spoke angrily even before Nadir could express his own displeasure with Erik.

"Why must it be something I have done? I am leaving. You either come with me or walk home. I refuse to discuss this in her house where anyone may be listening. That brother of hers is a little intimidating even for me. Not that he frightens me mind you. I would just rather not have a confrontation just when I have decided I would rather be friends with Katherine than enemies."

Darius strode over to Erik grabbing his arm in a tight grip. Erik was so astounded he could not utter one word. From the fierce look on Darius' face perhaps that was just as well.

"If you value your life I suggest you think of some acceptable reason for any ill conceived behavior on your part. I will not have you mess with this one chance I have to become closer to a woman I think may come to mean something significant to me in the future. You had better think long and hard about what you say to convince me I should not give you that opportunity to find out which one of us would be left standing if we were to face off in the ring. I will get the damn carriage. Mr. Fontaine." Erik had in some way ruffled Darius' feathers. Erik could not at the moment think how. From the stern look on Nadir's face he decided silence might serve him best at the moment.

Darius strode away from them not giving them a chance to voice one more word. Erik had time to think over what Darius had said. He recalled how attentive he had been to that woman Katherine had introduced as Dove. Erik was feeling a little guilty for his behavior and a lot regretful. Had he ruined his chances with Katherine? Did he even really care? Did he not have Christine back in his life? What muddied waters he had dredged up tonight.

Nadir left Erik standing alone not caring at the moment if he followed or not. He was just about to the end of his patience with the man. He was tired of trying to lead Erik down a path that would bring him happiness. If the fool could not see what was in front of his face then so be it. Nadir would leave him to his fate. Even as Nadir recited these thoughts in his mind he knew he would not abandon Erik to his own stupidity when it came to Christine.

On the ride home Erik voluntarily told them what had happened between him and Katherine then later with Christine. He left out the intimate details between him and Katherine. He just told them they had gotten along during the ride. It was no one's business if they got a little more intimate than was considered correct. He did not give a damn but he was sure Katherine would. He was sure Katherine would inform everyone of his misconduct with Christine so he saw no reason to keep it from Nadir and Darius. Perhaps they could give him some insight into this mess without beating him about the head too much. Someday he was sure Nadir was going to make good on his threat to do just that. On reflection Erik thought Darius might just join him.

Erik had yet to find out if he could take Darius in a fair fight. He was not seeking an answer to that question tonight or any night soon. His life had just become interesting with two beautiful women allowing him liberties that were not considered proper for a lady. Thank God for women who would lower their ideals just a bit. Sexual frustration was not something Erik ever wanted to experience again in his life at least not for an extended length of time.

After each man had said there peace concerning Erik's need for seeking a doctor to examine his head they remained silent. It was clear they had no liking for Christine. Before they had never held any open animosity toward her. At least not to his face. He had heard plenty over the last few years eavesdropping on private conversations. If they wished to keep them private they should not have held them in Erik's home. Now they made no effort to hide the fact they thought less of her for her behavior. Nadir alluded to past indiscretions. Their dislike stemmed from more than just this one incident. Perhaps Erik needed to look over those documents again he found from Nadir's detective. He had not looked at every paper. Perhaps they contained a reason for their open hostility toward Christine.

Katherine woke early the next morning. She planned to behave as if nothing had happened. She thought she might go to the office today. She had no firm plans. The others were already eating when she joined them. Christine was complaining of her face and arms itching. She did indeed have a rash covering a portion of her cheek as well as both arms.

"Did anyone else get bitten last night? I started feeling small spots last night during the hayride. Last night more came out so I guess it cannot be insect bites as I first thought." Just as she started to scratch her arm Mrs. Graham stopped her with an exclamation as she stood behind her to pour her morning tea.

"Good heavens child you have a poison ivy rash. For heavens sakes do not scratch. That only irritates it as well as causes it to become irritated and infected. No one needs to worry about it being contagious. It can only spread you have skin to skin contact when the oil from the vine is still present. By now it has all been absorbed into your skin. Just sit tight Christine. I'll have a paste made as soon as I finish serving. It won't make it go away but it will soothe the itch." She clucked her tongue wondering aloud why someone had not warned her of the vine.

"Where did I get this rash? Why am I the only one who has it?" Christine looked around the others at the table with suspicious glances. She noticed Fawn and Dove hanging their heads concentrating overly hard on the food on their plates. _**Oh they will pay. They will pay dearly. **_

"Well I dare say most of us here know what the vine looks like and would avoid it. I can only assume no one noticed how close you were to it. I shall have to see about getting the rest of that patch cleaned. I meant to do it earlier but things have been a little on the busy side lately. Just sit tight I won't be a moment."

Dove and Fawn looked at each other guiltily. They had no love for Christine but could sympathize with her in her discomfort. They locked their eyes on their plates to avoid speaking to anyone. Katherine glanced at each down turned head. They were guilty as could be. She smiled inwardly when she pictured Erik with this itchy rash all over his deceiving face or at least where his face had touched Christine's. She could only hope that some of the oil had been left on her to rub off onto him. It would serve him right.

Christine waited until after Mrs. Graham gave her the salve for her face before making her announcement. "I have decided to move back into town. I think it will be more convenient for me when I start work at the theatre. Erik told me they are starting a new production soon. Something of his own I'll bet. Anyway it will be easier for me to rehearse long hours if I do not have to travel so far every day."

"Whatever you think is best Christine. As for me I think I will be staying to enjoy some of this fine countryside. What about you Meg? Will you be staying?" The whole time Raoul had his eyes glued to Fawn. During the day yesterday they had spoken off and on. Last night during the hayride they had gotten a little better acquainted. Some might say a little too close. His lips still had the feel of hers on his in the one kiss they shared just before pulling to a stop at the house. If he had known she would have responded so heatedly he would have been kissing her the whole damn time instead of trying to think of stupid conversation to keep her interested. He felt like he had the first time he tried to win a young girl's interest. He remembered when he first saw Christine for the first time that night at the opera. Had he really been that naive with Christine? He had thought he was so sure of himself. So masterful. He had been nothing more than an overanxious schoolboy. He had the same feelings now. Did a man ever get to a point where he could feel certain of women and their responses to him? He hated this feeling of inadequacy.

He had forgotten how hard it was to talk to a woman he was interested in physically. Meg and Katherine he could find conversation with ease. His tongue had twisted itself into a pretzel when he tried to say anything intelligent to Fawn. She had carried most of the conversation which he thanked God for since she would realize he was an idiot otherwise. Why he had instantly been attracted to her he had no earthly idea. She was miles away from any woman he had ever met. Fawn and Christine were on opposite ends of a pole they were so different.

"Christine I think I will come with you if you do not mind of course. I mean it would be...I could...the baby. Yes it would be better if I were in town because of the baby. I only have a little over two months you know to prepare. You would not mind if I came with you would you Christine?"

"I think it would be wonderful as long as we both have our own rooms. I will be keeping late hours soon. What with one thing and another." She hoped Erik would be occupying most of her free time perhaps spending the night with her. Although she had felt wonderful last night finally kissing and holding him as she had longed to do for so long, this morning in the light of day, she found her eyes repeatedly seeking out Raoul's strong profile only to see his eyes turning to Fawn for quick assessing looks of his own. The flash of jealousy that shot through Christine surprised her with its intensity.

Katherine had no need to wonder what one of those late activities might be. Oh she should have smacked Erik's handsome face. She dreaded seeing him again in the office or the theatre. Damn it they could not even agree on what to call. it. He wanted it to be referred to as only an opera house. She preferred theatre because they would be performing much more than just operas. That was one conversation they had as they passed one day in the outer office just as he was about to leave. Mostly he had avoided her. Her conversation with Hayden had drawn his attention for about five minutes. Just long enough for him to voice his opinion then he had left. Hayden spent most days either in her office or at the theatre. He said it was not a necessity he just preferred to keep busy. His finances were taken care of by a very capable firm that would frown upon his attempts to give advice. So he kept busy with theatre business. His measly shares along with his hefty checks in support of the arts gave him the benefit of using his influence to keep his hand in the day to day business of the theatre.

"I do not mind at all Meg. We can still see each other in town. I will be working at the theatre more as well as spending time at the office. Were you not a dancer in Paris? Perhaps you would not mind stopping by to see how our troupe is doing. They are newly formed so they are not as polished as performers such as New York or someplace else but one day we will give them competition with the talent we have. It just takes time. We can watch a practice. We can have lunch or go shopping later. It will give Fawn and Dove a chance to see more than just the estate."

"So Meg this sudden interest in living in town has nothing to do with the suave, debonair Nadir Khan at all? The two of you spent a rather large portion of the day together. He was very solicitous of your needs. The fact that you will be a short five or ten minutes from his residence has nothing at all to do with your decision." Raoul looked at Meg with teasing in every line of his face. He wished he could caution her about jumping in too quickly but he thought he would be too late with that advice. Besides Nadir seemed to be an upstanding character. His one drawback that Raoul could see was he was friends with Erik.

"Nadir?" Meg's voice came out more a squeak than a question. She cleared her throat trying again fixing her eyes on her plate as she spoke, "Mr. Kahn, Nadir, is a very charming man. He was kind to everyone. I do not know what you mean. He...we...I...oh you have me confused. Why would meeting him influence my decision one way or another? Why, he was nice to everyone including me. I thought he was extremely kind. Do you not think he was kind?"

"I did not say he was not kind Meg I just said he paid a little more attention to you. Perhaps he was kinder to you than to anyone else. He did sit with you last night during the hay ride after all."

"Well...Well." Anyone who knew Meg could decipher her telltale blush. She began to chew her lip hoping no one saw her kiss him during one extremely dark moment last night. She still did not know what had taken possession of her. One moment they were speaking quietly then she attacked him. He did not seem to mind. In fact he had kissed her back. Enthusiastically she was happy to say. Afterward they had stared at each other with idiotic grins on their faces as they held hands for the rest of the ride home.

Noticing her mounting frustration he took pity on her with a smiling reply, "Meg, sweet Meg. You are so easy to tease. I suppose I should not tease you given your condition. As for Nadir's character? I found him to be intelligent. A man of means if his manner of dress is any indication. I could see nothing showing outwardly that would give anyone pause. The fact that he was smitten with you says much for his taste in women."

Meg smiled in gratitude at Raoul. It meant a lot to her to have his approval. She had already accepted an invitation to lunch from him. They were to see each other on Thursday. Today was Tuesday. Two more days.

"Are you people going to linger over breakfast the whole day? Come on, come on. Off you go. Let me get my chores done. Scoot. Scoot." Gamm was waving her hands at Katherine while holding a tea towel. She began to pull everyone's chairs out while shooing them along. Gamm was like a bell every morning warning them that playtime was over. When she thought they had lingered long enough over breakfast she came into the dining room to shoo them out.

Katherine decided to give the office a miss this morning. She did not think she was up to facing Erik after last night. For someone who had been given a name for her great courage she felt incredibly cowardly suddenly. Afraid of what one man could do to her. She still could not think what had possessed her to let him do what he had done. She had dreamed of him last night. She was not clear what she dreamed she just knew she woke up with that new sensation between her thighs. Her waking thought had been she wanted Erik. She squashed that notion when she came fully awake. He had shown he was fickle with his affections. Hers had been all consuming his a passing fancy until something better happened along.

Christine and Meg had spent the morning packing. Raoul had volunteered to take them to town since he would be the one footing the bill. He had expressed it in those words but it was expected and accepted that he would be paying their expenses. Until legal papers said differently Christine was still his responsibility.

They were sitting out in the gazebo at the side of the house when they saw a rider approaching. The men stood to go to the side rail to watch the rider come in closer.

"Who is it Matthew?" Matthew would be able to tell who it was long before anyone else could tell any more than it was a rider on a horse.

"I cannot be certain but it is an officer in a blue uniform. Calvary. Many medals on his jacket. Might be Captain Richards. A little closer and I will know for certain." Matthew wondered what would bring an army officer all this way. It could only be some bad news.

"You think it is Andrew?" Katherine would be surprised but happy if it was Andrew. He had been very kind to her. The others as well but they did not know how he had helped her to keep them with her.

"Andrew? Since when is he Andrew?" Matthew spoke in his native tongue.

"Stop it. It was not as you imply. He gave me advice how to keep the three of you with me. Helped when my father denied me wanting to leave me behind at the fort. I owe him much. We all do."

"Then you shall be happy. It is Andrew." He had spoken the last in English.\par

Raoul was squinting his eyes. He drew his hand up to shade his eyes. He still could not clearly make out the rider. "You can tell from here who that rider is? How is that possible? How do you see that far and so clearly?"

Matthew tossed an offhand reply over his shoulder as he walked down the steps then started across the lawn toward the rider, "With my eyes Straight Arrow. With my eyes."

Tripping down the steps after him Raoul continued, "Well I know that but how did you make out enough detail to know who it is? I cannot even tell if it is a man or a woman."

Relenting Matthew stopped by the front drive to wait for the rider to arrive. He decided to answer Raoul truthfully. "I do not know how. I have always had keen eyesight. I am thankful for the ability. It has saved my life many times."

Just then Captain Andrew Richards arrived in front of Matthew and Raoul. By this time everyone else had arrived as well.

"Captain Richards what brings you our way?" Katherine feared what his answer would be.

He touched his fingertips to the brim of his hat out of respect to the women. "Well now Miss Montgomery, I was just returning from Richmond delivering an urgent dispatch that needed to reach Washington. I thought it might be a good time to pay a visit to see how you were getting along."

"We are fine. What is the real reason for this visit Captain? You did not come all this way to enquire about our health. Say what you need to say." Matthew thought he knew what was coming but needed to hear it said out loud. He drew Lone Dove to his side. He wrapped his arm around her waist. She looked at him with the same knowledge shining in her own eyes. They knew but needed the spoken word for it to be real.

Andrew dismounted. Once on the ground he removed his gloves tucking them in his belt. He wished he was the bearer of anything other than what he had to say. For their sake as well as his own.

"Miss Montgomery is there a place where we might speak in private? I truly would be obliged if that would be possible."

"You must call me Katherine. We can go back to the gazebo. If they wish to come they are welcome. Anything you have to say can be said in front of them."

"Begging your pardon Miss Katherine but what I have to say is of a sensitive nature. I would rather speak with only those who are directly involved. The less who know of what I am going to say the better." Much to her astonishment he spoke in an Apache dialect. A month ago he had only been able to speak a few words.

Katherine turned to Meg, Christine and Raoul asking them if they would excuse them for a few moments. She explained that they had some business that needed her immediate attention care. Once they were in the gazebo Andrew told them why he came.

"Just after we came upon the four of you we received orders to join up with two other columns closing in on Raging Bear's encampment. He did not run this time as was the case before when we would have him just where we thought he would have no exit. This time he chose to fight. He was outnumbered three to one." He could not look them in the eye for a moment. He was man enough to say what he had to say facing them he just needed a moment.

"The battle was a blood bath. Begging your pardon ladies but the only way to say this is straight out. I apologize for the crudeness of my words. We were ordered to cut down as many men as we could. If we had to plow through woman and children we were ordered to forge ahead. Ma'am I swear I have never hated a uniform more than the one I wear now. Once Raging Bear knew the battle was lost he surrendered. There were only fifty left alive in camp. The trackers found some fresh tracks heading away from camp. About twenty in all."

"Seventy people left out of over a hundred and fifty?" Reading the truth in the man's eyes Lone Wolf let out the loudest most fearful cry. It echoed through the hills around them. It was a mournful grief ridden cry. Followed by one of anger and war. He had to go to his people. He had to set them free. He started to leave when Katherine caught his arm.

"You cannot Lone Wolf. You gave your word you would protect his daughter with your life. If you are gone what will happen to Fawn and White Dove? What good would your death do for anyone? It would serve your honor as a warrior, but would lose the promise of your word to Raging Bear. You have been given a greater responsiblilty than that of warrior. You are the protector of their future. The future of your people is in your hands. Raging Bear entrusted two precious gifts in your capable hands. The future of the tribe and his daughter."

"Lone Wolf I need to ask you to please spare me a few minutes of your time. It is important to all of us. White Dove let me say right away your father was well the last time I saw him. His spirit is low but he was alive. I haven't much time. I am expected back soon. I do not wish to have any suspicion drawn to me that will come back to haunt me later if you agree to my plan."

"Was he injured during the battle?" White Dove had not seen or heard from her father in the month they had been separated. She worried day and night for his safety. When he had sent her away she had known that she might not ever see him again. She thought for sure he would be dead rather than captured. Her father would see death as an honor and life in a cage as death for his spirit.

"Your father has no wounds one can see. His heart and spirit is another matter. After the surrender we gathered everyone ready to move them. I was ordered to escort them back to Fort Lee. The rest would go after the runners. While making our way back I became friendly with a young woman. Moon Shadow. I am not ashamed to say I have fallen in love with her. I cannot imagine why but she returns my affections."

"What the hell does that have to do with us or what will happen to our people?" Lone Wolf was angry and had no outlet for his anger. The white Captain was close at hand. If he did not give more information about what happened to his people Lone Wolf would be killing him shortly. Once Lone Wolf had heard of the massacre he had ceased to be Matthew. He had become Lone Wolf again.

"I am getting to what you need to know. The reason I am here. A few days ago the general told me that everyone was going to be sent further south. They will be packed into railcars then taken as far as the line runs. Then they will march them the rest of the way to the swamps of Florida. The general wanted no one dying like they did during the last great march so he plans to pack them all in a railcar to move them as far south as he can. I tried to explain that a railcar is little better than a sweat box once they are filled with perhaps fifty people. The train will be making no stops that would allow them to get out of the car. There will be little water if any for the day long ride. He would not listen when I told him that many would die during the trip."

Lone Wolf swore quietly, "Fucking Whiteman. They treat us like cattle."

"I am in agreement with you Lone Wolf or would you now prefer Matthew?"

"There is no Matthew. Only Lone Wolf is here to tell of his sorrow. Speak now before I lose my patience." Lone Wolf's eyes held a ferocious anger. His fists were clinched so tightly his knuckles were white with the skin stressed so tightly.

"If you are interested I have a plan. I can help I only ask that you take Moon Shadow with you when you release Raging Eagle. I contacted my mother while I was in Richmond. Of course it had to be sent in code so no one would know of our plans. We have used this method over many years to hide our activities. She sent a telegram back telling me to send as many on to her as we could save. Her contacts with the underground are still close. She is even as we speak making arrangements."

"How is your mother part of the underground railroad? Why would they help? Raging Bear and Moon Shadow are not slaves." Katherine felt Andrew was an honest and trustworthy man but allowing others into the plan could be dangerous for everyone.

"Not all southerners were slave owners Miss Katherine. I did not join the Confederate Army to keep slavery in the south. I fought to preserve what we have as southerners. The northerners were using the government to drain the south of its power. Any plans we made to better our economy were squelched in Congress. Northerners wanted to promote big industries and railroads. We needed to maintain what we already had as well as improve our mode of transporting goods. Since our waterways connect with most of the north it was only reasonable to push for more ports of call being built. That damn war was fought not only for slavery, but economy."

"My mother and I believe in the freedom of everyone. Her father was a missionary for many years in places not many have heard of let alone seen. She will be glad to help. She wants to meet her future daughter-in-law. We know it will not be easy but we will persevere. We are after all fine southern stock. We have made it through all God and man has thrown at us and will continue to do so. So are you ready to listen to my plan Lone Wolf?"

"I will listen. It does not mean I will like it or will follow your plan."

"I did not expect anything more. In ten days we will be sending everyone further south. In nine days I will have Raging Eagle as well as Moon Shadow ready for your rescue. Whether you come or not I will be taking Moon Shadow out of there. If Raging Bear trusts me enough to come with me I am willing to take him also. Once I leave I will not be able to return. I will be considered a traitor as well as a deserter. Since we are at war, if caught I will be executed. I would rather not risk my family by letting my superiors know it will be me allowing the escape. If I am able to stay with my unit suspicion will not fall on me. Moon Shadow and I have been very careful. No one knows of our relationship."

"Because we are short handed with the rest of our unit still out tracking down stragglers it will be easier to slip into the holding area just outside the camp undetected. The inner pens are already filled to capacity. A temporary pen has been erected to hold the newcomers. There are only four guards posted. I do not wish any of those men to be harmed. I will be slipping a sleeping powder into their evening coffee. It should only take a few minutes to render them unconscious. Another two guards stand at the gate to the fort. One man makes a circuit every ten minutes around the pens. Once they discover the guards you will have little time to make it to the protection of the trees. If you take too much time you will be detected. Once you commit to removing Raging Bear and Shadow Moon you will only have a few minutes to get them to where you must have someone waiting at the line of trees with the horses. Any closer and the horses could be seen. The pen is far enough away you can remain undetected by the guards at the gate if you are careful. I will wait until midnight. If nothing has happened by then I will assume the plan has been aborted for some reason therefore I will take the initiative to release Raging Bear as well as Moon Shadow on my own."

Lone Wolf found it hard to place his trust in this man. The fact that he came to tell them about his chief as well as his love for a woman of his people convinced him he could be trusted. What would he have to gain from lying?

"I will do what I need to do. Just be ready at your end." Lone Wolf put his hand out in the gesture he remembered white men using to seal deals as well as greetings and farewells. They shock hands in a gentleman's agreement. For both men their word was as good as a promise. The handshake sealed the commitment.

"I was hoping for you cooperation. I took the liberty to draw a map that will get you to my mother's. By the way my mother's name is Coralee Anne Richards. Once you have released them it should take about three days to reach my mother's home, less if you ride hard and have good mounts. There are two maps there. One for whoever you send to my mother's to alert her of your agreement to the plan, and the other is for whoever travels with Raging Bear and Moon Shadow."

"Mother will be keeping a light in the window of the parlor lit all evening. She does not use this parlor unless she has her women's group meeting. If for some reason she feels it is not safe she will have two lanterns lit in the upstairs windows. She will have everything arranged to receive everyone in eleven days unless something changes." Reaching his hand into his jacket he pulled out papers. He handed them to Lone Wolf.

"Well I must take my leave Miss Katherine. It is good to see you have settled so well. White Dove I will let your father know you are well. I will make sure he knows everyone is well. I do not know if I shall meet any of you again. In case I do not I wish you well in your new lives." He bowed slightly then replaced his hat on his head. He remounted. He turned his horse riding back down the drive. As his figure got smaller the four who watched had their own thoughts racing around in their heads.

"When will we go Lone Wolf? Whatever we need I can get," Katherine tried to speak firmly as she knew he would protest. He needed her. He could not do this alone.

"No White Eagle. I will go alone. It will be safer that way. I can get in then get out quickly."

"You need someone with you just in case something happens. The horses will need to be ready to be mounted quickly. Which means they cannot be hobbled or tied. Someone will have to be with them to keep them calm. What would happen to Moon Shadow if something were to happen to you? She does not know how to get to Andrew's mother's house. Where would she go? She would not want to stay with Raging Bear. She will be wanting to find Andrew. The soldiers cannot be allowed to find out it was Andrew who planned this. Face it brother. This time I make sense. There is no other way."

Damn it. She was right. If he could not find someone else it would have to be her. He had to concede she was better than most men in any case. She would not panic or freeze in the face of danger. He could trust her with his life. There were not many people he could make the same claim of trustworthiness or honor.

It looked as if once again he and White Eagle would be making a hunting trip together. In nine days.

**A/N: I know it's shameless but please show me some love. Please review. I am trying so hard and get so little feedback. I am reduced to begging. Please review.**


	35. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-four**

**Day at the Opera**

The day after Captain Richard's visit Katherine arrived at the office building to find Hayden leaning against the front wall. He had his arms crossed and his legs crossed at the ankles. When he heard the carriage pull up he straightened up looking to see who had arrived. A big grin spread across his face when he saw Katherine. He motioned for Martin to stay seated.

"I will get her Martin. It is about time you decided to show up," Hayden said in a teasing manner as he held his hand out to Katherine.

Once her feet were firmly on the pavement of the sidewalk he continued, "I came yesterday and was told you had not been in. I came back today just in case. I wanted to accompany you to the theatre when you go to watch the auditions. I am sponsoring a young lady by the name of Regina Tate. She is auditioning for lead soprano. Not that I am trying to influence your decision. I know Mrs. de Chagny will be auditioning as well." The fact that Christine would be there had influenced his decision just the tiniest bit to return today after yesterday's disappointment.

"I do plan on making an appearance as much as I can so that I can learn all aspects of the running of the theatre. Just so you know I have very little say in the matter of choosing performers. I do not have the talent to make such decisions. If you will come up with me we can have some tea or coffee while I look over a few papers. The printer sent a sample of the posters for the marquee. Not all the posters just the ones announcing the new opera. Just enough to titillate the people passing by until we can print the posters with our stars pictures whoever they may be."

Katherine knew very well her opinion as well as Erik's held a lot of sway in these things. She had met with the manager as well as some of the other people in important positions in the theatre, not formally but in passing by Billy on one of her visits. She had told them to continue as she wanted to keep in the background. Taking her at her word they had left her alone to observe everything in privacy. She knew a formal meeting should occur soon.

Erik had hidden himself away in his office so she had not seen him much over the last few times she had gone to the office. She was grateful for that small mercy, but irritated as well. It was hard to convince herself she did not care to see him in any other capacity except business if he burrowed himself in his office like a rabbit in a rabbit den.

As Hayden held the door for her to enter he asked, "So how are you getting along with Mr. Fontaine? He is a bit of a strange sort of duck is he not? The brief meeting in the office then at your home did not lead to any great indications as to his character. He is a rather grim sort of fellow. I do know that Raoul's wife is a bone of contention between them. Although I did notice Raoul seemed to have had other interests the evening of the hayride."

Hearing Hayden pair Erik and Christine's name in the same sentence, somewhat soured her first pleasant feelings of welcome upon seeing him. "We have not had much opportunity to actually work together. I suppose today at the auditions and consulting over posters will be the first we will really come into contact as business partners. For some odd reason he has taken a thorough dislike to me. He sequesters himself in his office almost as soon as I arrive. I do not know about strange but he is for sure one of the most arrogant men I have ever met. From what I know of him fathers should be locking up their daughters." Her mouth tightened in grime lines remembering just how the evening had ended after such promise. She would not be making that mistake again even if she did wake with such unfulfilled feelings of some sort after a night of dreaming of him.

"Oh yes, there are rumors about his tomcatting ways. Several women have lost their hearts let me tell you. Why, it is even rumored he was caught...well not quite properly clothed in the presence of another man's wife. The man took his wife and left town rather abruptly. I feel I must confess I have been quite envious of the man. Not to be crude, but since it is you and we are old friends I feel I can say this, it is said he has lifted more skirts than Mr. Delacroix. You must remember him Katherine, the dark good-looking fellow. Had most of the women of bedding age before he left town, or so the rumor says. He has been the legendary Lothario around town for the past few years. I do think Mr. Fontaine may oust him from his throne."

Katherine held her tongue about what she thought of Mr. Fontaine. Now she felt even worse than before. Now not only was she second to Christine, but perhaps half the city as well. Oh, damn him and his lying lips.

Katherine listened with only half an ear to Billy thanking her profusely for the tickets. His girl was quite impressed. He sure hoped she didn't expect that kind of treatment all the time or he'd go broke for sure.

When the elevator stopped Katherine had been prepared to nod good-morning to Erik's assistant but he was not there. Arthur had proved to be a valuable source of information concerning all that went on in the theatre. Erik had offered her the use of the young man but she felt she needed someone of her own. Someone who did not owe any loyalty to Erik. Katherine thought it best to have as little to do with the man as she could. She could not avoid him at the office or the threatre, at least not entirely.

Erik had done his best to make himself almost an invisible partner. She could limit their contact and she would. She had humiliated herself enough already. His contribution to her humiliation with his close encounter with Christine added to her determination to avoid the man as much as possible. He could use her as a fool once but never again. What she had learned from Hayden only strengthened her resolve.

"Well it seems the outer office is unattended. Usually Arthur is sitting out here guarding against anyone seeing Erik. The man is like a vicious dog protecting a particularly juicy bone. I wonder where he could be?" Katherine proceeded to remove her light jacket with Hayden's assistance. Just then a door down the hall opened. While removing her gloves she shamelessly listened to the raised voice of her adversary.

The raised voices could be heard coming closer with each word spoken as a door down the hall opened then closed. Footsteps could be heard angrily striding down the hallway. Katherine heard Erik's voice dripping with annoyance as he said, "Well Nadir I find it damn inconsiderate of him to just up and leave. He could have put off getting married for a few weeks until I found someone to replace him. Damn it I don't need this now. Another warehouse was cleaned out last night."

"Erik the affairs of the heart often times takes precedence over anything else. Just because he was in your employ did not mean you have control of all areas of his life or should be made privy to private matters. As for this other matter do you have any idea who it might be that is stealing from you? This is the fourth time is it not?" Nadir was trying to commiserate with Erik while keeping him somewhat under control.

"Yes the son of a bitch is getting a little too cocky. I think it is time I took care of this thorn in my side. Tyler has taken from me for the last time. I have an idea how to solve my problem. We can discuss my plans while we watch rehearsals."

Coming down the long hall they entered the outer waiting room to find Katherine and Hayden standing in the waiting area. Erik felt his heart start to thump in an uncomfortable rhythm. He felt the sting of embarrassment begin to heat his cheeks as he recalled the last moments he and Katherine had seen one another. He turned to shuffle through the papers laying on the desk of his recently departed assistant having no earthly idea what he was looking for or if he was looking for anything at all. He had to bite his tongue to keep his displeasure to himself having witnessed Hayden helping Katherine with her jacket. His hands had been far to close to Katherine's hidden treasures. It had not bothered Erik one whit when his own hands had taken even greater liberties than Hayden's hands.

Not looking at her Erik addressed his question to Katherine, "What brings you here this morning? I had thought you had come to the correct conclusion that business was better left in the hands of men since you did not come in yesterday."

It irked Katherine somewhat that he would not so much as look at her. Not that she wanted him to she assured herself. After what he had done she was surprised he had the nerve to even address her let alone make a statement he was sure would earn the sting of her tongue.

"My father had not done so well in the arena of business which is how you come to be in possession of a portion of the theatre as well as having a hand in other areas I hold interests in also. Last time I checked he was a man of sorts. As to why I am here I only stopped by to look over the samples from the printers for the ads we will be putting on the marquee. Did I hear you correctly when you said Arthur had left to get married?"

"Yes, damn fool. Left without so much as a note other than to say he would not be back as his wife's family had a business further north he would be helping his father-in-law with after his marriage. Now I shall have to go to all the trouble of finding someone suitable again."

"I am sure your comfort was his first consideration on his wedding day. After all your comfort and well being takes precedence over everyone else." Katherine did not like the things that were coming out of her mouth but she could stop them if she tried. From his stiff posture her sarcasm was not lost on Erik.

Nadir fearing an explosion was imminent from Erik, intervened hurriedly trying to defuse the ticking bomb landing at their feet. "Katherine, how is everyone doing this fine morning? I must tell you I did enjoy my day spent with everyone tremendously. I found Meg to be delightful." Realizing he had singled Meg out he quickly added, "Everyone was very welcoming. Erik we must have everyone to dinner one evening."

"Oh I am sure Katherine has too many engagements to attend any dinner we might have. We must be at the bottom of her list about now." Erik had looked up catching Katherine's eye giving her a look of challenge. He was daring her to deny she would rather dine with a rattler than sit at a table with him.

"I am not all that busy. Send me a notice with a night and time." Katherine returned his look. She was not about to allow him to know he had her tied in knots. He need not know he still affected her at all.

"Well if you are sure it will not interfere with your schedule I suppose we could make it for this Friday at seven?" Erik ducked his head to hide his smile. He had won this little skirmish. Why it was so important to spend time with her he still was not sure he had any clear answers nor was he willing to admit to them when he did. He still had no clear idea what if anything he felt for Christine other than a man's natural lust for a beautiful woman.

_**Damn him.**_ How had he managed to get her to agree to go to dinner and at his home no less? Katherine had planned to see as little of him as possible. She was too new to these types of adult feelings and games to be able to sort through them. He confused her while at the same time fascinated her. Angered her in one breath flattered in the next breath.

If Christine so much as set foot in his house while she was there Katherine felt she would not be responsible for any actions she may take. Katherine had decided that being a lady in this day and time was harder than one might suspect. Take now for instance. She would love to screech and claw at that handsome face of Erik's. If she had her way Christine would be quite hairless about now with a few bruises about her oh so fine lily white skin. Katherine vowed civilized or not if Christine provoked her at the wrong time or right time, depending how one looked at it, Katherine swore she would lay into that woman with wild abandon.

"If you would extend the invitation to the rest of your guests Katherine we would be more than happy to have everyone join us. Would we not Erik? We can make it a very festive occasion." Nadir was prompting a positive response from Erik with a stern look from his eyes alone.

"Of course. What could be more entertaining than having de Chagny share a meal at my table? I am sure it will be the highlight of both our lives. Perhaps I might even persuade him to allow me to show him my room in the basement. He might like to try out the equipment."

Erik's hands fisted tightly just thinking of connecting his fist to that boys perfect face. With the new knowledge Erik had gained of how to inflict the most damage while doing very little to his hands he might give that boy a beating he would not soon forget. Erik's evil smile spreading across his face gave Nadir cause for concern. Nadir knew very well what evil thoughts were bouncing around in Erik's crafty mind. A reminder of how Erik should behave when in the presence of others would not be out of order. The great Allah knew Erik certainly practiced no such restraint when it was just him, Nadir and Darius. Over the last few months since taking up the illegal boxing matches Erik had lowered his verbal skills to the gutter quite often. Such foul things sprouted out of his unthinking mouth at times. Nadir and Darius had come to tolerate his outbursts but there was no reason why others should have to listen to him curse like a sailor in a barroom brawl.

"Nadir, Christine and Meg have moved back into The Embassy Hotel. Christine felt it would be best if she was close to the theatre. She has not auditioned yet but she seems confident she will get the part she wants." Katherine's eyes swept in open accusation toward Erik. Her look openly declared she knew why Christine would feel that way.

Erik returned her look blandly. Damned if he would cower under the look of a woman. Who was she to pass judgment on him anyway? She was nothing to him. Nothing at all. _**Liar!**_ He preferred to ignore that annoyingly accusing voice resounding in his head. He knew he would be facing more of Nadir's accusations. As if the ones the night of the hay ride had not been enough.

Nadir had as usual been suspicious of Erik. The bales of hay at his side had shielded him on his left while the ones stacked in the middle for additional seating if needed had shielded him from prying eyes across from him. Neither Nadir nor anyone else could have seen a damn thing. Nadir had no doubt observed Erik's self-satisfied smirk jumping to the correct conclusions for his good mood even if he was not in possession of all the facts. Erik had been both pleased and irritated with how things had gone that night.

Instead of resolving his issue with Christine he had further complicated matters by giving into his lustful notions toward Katherine then later Christine. If Erik were a vain man he would be quite giddy about now. He considered it was God's way of testing him or the Devil's way of tempting him. Testing, tempting the result was the same. He had two encounters with two very desirable women in one evening in the span on an hour.

All his life Erik had mourned the fact that he had never had a woman. Now after his years living among so many of them he sometimes wished for his much less complicated life of blissful ignorance of the joys of a woman's touch. Not that he would ever really want to return to the life he had before. It had just been less complicated in many ways as well as much lonelier. He would much rather deal with complications than loneliness.

Having dispensed with small talk they dispersed going about their own business. Katherine liked the posters. Rather than consult with Erik she made up her own mind to go with what the printer had sent over. After all it was only for a week or so just to get people interested so they purchased tickets. Katherine was learning more every day about this world she had been thrust back into with little or no preparation.

Having completed all that she needed in the office she allowed Hayden to escort her out the building then into the main lobby of the theatre. Gamm had told her by American standards it was a large theatre but in Europe there were some that were twice as large. Many had dormitories for singers as well as dancers. Maintenance people, costumers, as well as the people who worked behind the stage had rooms on the premises. Katherine wanted this theatre to grow that large. She wanted it to become that famous. Someday it would be. As long as she kept her father away from it things would continue to prosper. Gamm had told her that Erik had an eye for the artistic as well the financial side of the theatre.

Opening the door to the auditorium Hayden gave her his arm so he could escort her down the isle. This would be her first formal introduction to the people who managed the business of what went on inside the theatre. Hayden introduced her to Mr. Richard Blakely the theatre manager. He wore many hats in this theatre. Not only did he manage the day to day things but also helped in choosing performers. He was a talented musician who had branched out when he could not earn a living as a musician. Working in the theatre fed his artistic urges as well as his basic human bodily needs as well.

Katherine and Hayden had just taken their seats in the front row when the doors opened letting in light from the outside lobby. Without turning her head she knew it was Erik. The hairs at the back of her neck were standing on end as were the ones on her arms. Every time that man came near she felt the same reaction. It was if something in his body called to hers creating this unwanted and unnerving response.

Erik stood looking at the back of Katherine's head. He shot a glare at Hayden he was unaware of but which gave Nadir pause. That was the glare he usually reserved for Raoul or when anyone even mentioned the man's name. Nadir could only hope Erik could control himself and that there would be no bloodshed today. He was rather looking forward to the dinner on Friday evening. If he had to lock Erik in a closet to have a peaceful evening he was sure Darius would offer his assistance as he was looking forward to seeing Dove once more. With all the canoodling going on during the hayride Nadir had to wonder if cupid had spiked the lemonade. Well for his part he had been smitten long before he even touched a drop of liquid refreshment.

Squinting from the darkness of the auditorium Nadir saw Christine with Raoul as well as Meg on the stage. So now Nadir knew what had Erik so angered.

Erik continued to scowl at the back of Hayden's head. Just a few short weeks ago he had quite liked the fellow. He was generous with his donations in support of the theatre as well as aiding those performers who needed a small stipend to add to the little salary they made until they had proved themselves and began to earn a higher wage. Why Erik had taken such a sudden dislike he could not say. All he knew was the young man's very presence irritated him greatly. He seemed like an irritating insect that would buzz around annoyingly until swatted ending the torment. He would like nothing better than to pitch him into the street then dust his hands as ridding himself of some nasty bit of garbage.

"Nadir, why does he have to always be here?" The bite in Erik's tone alerted Nadir that some sort of unpleasantness might be imminent.

"Well as far as I am aware this is his first time in the building. It should be obvious he has come to give support."

"Well he could be just as supportive from some other location. I think I might have to suggest he not return again for his health of course. Theatres can be awfully unhealthy places at times." A somewhat evil grin spread across Erik's mouth as he thought all manner of unpleasant things he could do to young Hayden. A particularly gruesome picture flashed into Erik's mind. Well perhaps he would not go that far. As he saw Hayden shift closer to whisper something in Katherine's ear the thought entered his mind again. This time he did not dismiss it so quickly.

"Erik if you do one thing to Raoul other than to say a polite hello I shall have to put myself in the line of danger while I knock some sense into you. Really Erik, is it not time to lay those old ghosts to rest? Three years is a long time to harbor such ill will. It cannot be healthy for a person's mind. Let the past go."

"What the hell are you talking about? I only met Hayden recently. Have you been nipping in the brandy again? Do not think I have not noticed how quickly my bottles are depleted."

"Well if you had to deal with someone like you perhaps you would consume cases of that beverage instead of a bottle a week. I was not aware you were concerned about Hayden. I thought naturally since Christine was here with Raoul he was the reason for your ill temper. So now I have to add poor young Hayden to the list of people I have to watch when in your company?" Nadir fisted his hands placing them at his waist in challenge. Erik recognized the set of Nadir's body. He was readying himself for a mental if not a physical battle.

Erik brushed Nadir's comments aside. If Nadir knew of his activities skulking around Katherine's estate he would no doubt develop an ulcer. Not that Erik thought he had done anything wrong. He had just ridden out there for a leisurely day of riding out in the countryside. If his journey happened to lead to a certain place each day for the past two weeks it was sheer coincidence. If he happened to want to rest leaving his horse at the bottom of a hill so what? If he happened to be looking through field glasses and if she happened to be in his line of sight could he help it? It was not at all like he used to spy on the people of the opera house. He was not lurking in dark corridors or listening behind walls for information. He was simply enjoying a ride then looking at the scenery. There was absolutely nothing illicit about that. Why he felt he must keep that tidbit of information from the nosy Persian he dared not delve to deeply for an answer.

Distracted for the moment Erik looked around as he asked, "Christine is here? She must be going to audition. Well perhaps an otherwise shitty day will render a little joy." He at last saw Christine as well as Raoul and Meg. It did not occur to him to wonder why he felt more of a reaction to Raoul's presence than to Christine's. Erik began to make his way down the aisle toward the front row of seats. His eyes strayed from the stage and Christine, locking on a head of light colored hair glowing like a beacon in the dim light of the auditorium. Erik's hands suddenly had a strange itch to unbind that hair then run his fingers through the strands to see if they were as soft as they looked. His fingers flexed in anticipation as if they could already feel that softness. Usually he was attracted to darker haired women. He had always loved Christine's dark tresses.

"Erik, how many times must I warn you to curb this recently vulgar habit of cursing when we are in public? It is simply not the proper thing to do." Nadir was practically running now to keep up with Erik. Nadir nearly ran into Erik's back when he suddenly detoured from heading to the stage to walk to the front row of seats then flop down beside Katherine. He stretched out his long legs crossing his arms across his chest.

A person less in tune with their surroundings would have missed her sharp inhalation of breath. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her beginning to fidget just the tiniest bit. Well at least he was not the only one that felt as if ants were crawling over his skin. Every time he was near Katherine the strangest tingling prickled over him in the oddest places. Least of which was down south of his belt. It was damn annoying to have to check to be sure he had no embarrassing evidence of his reaction to her visible to a discerning eye. He had crossed his legs more since meeting her than in all his life he would wager.

Nadir was somewhat surprised at Erik's discreet glances in Katherine's direction until he recalled certain things. He would have thought Erik would be frothing at the mouth for Christine since it was known she and Raoul were no longer together as man and wife. Still married but living separately. Erik was more than a little intrigued by this young woman. Nadir stood looking on for a few unobserved moments. Erik had not taken his eyes from the woman seated beside him. He did nothing obvious. His glances were quick and timed when he thought no one was observing him. It was surreptitious glances to be sure but anyone who knew Erik would know what to look for. Nadir was pleased as well as somewhat concerned. Erik had not shown this sort of interest in any woman since Christine. That had ended disastrously. As far as Nadir could tell it still held Erik gripped in a tight fist of want. Perhaps Katherine could loosen those fingers gripping Erik's heart while strangling him in unrequited love.

Thoughtfully Nadir took the seat on the other side of Erik. This could prove interesting. For a moment Nadir recalled how he had used Susan's interest in Erik to draw Erik away from the destructive thoughts of Christine. Shaking his head he convinced himself this was different. Katherine was most assuredly different. For one thing she could take Erik to the ground with seeming ease. Not a feat to be scoffed at. Nadir could think of only one man who might be able to take Erik on and win. Darius could do it. He never would but he could.

There were several people trying out for various parts. There were only three trying out for the lead soprano position. The first woman was adequate but would never set the house on fire with her mediocre voice. The second, Hayden's prodigy even had Erik sitting up straighter in his seat leaning forward to catch each sweet note.

Christine stood in the wings biting her lip. She could not fail to see everyone's reaction to this young woman's voice. Christine feared she surpassed her superior voice even in her first days when Erik had brought her own voice to near perfection. She should have practiced more. Her confidence began to dwindle as she looked around noticing the enraptured faces of everyone. Regina Tate was young, beautiful and blessed with one of the most wonderfully natural voices Christine had ever heard. Her only hope was Erik. Perhaps his recommendation would hold sway over the director's decision. When her eyes drifted to Katherine her confidence sunk to the floor. Remembering their last encounter Christine's face heated with shamed color.

How could she have made such an utter mess of her life? Why had she let a youthful infatuation sway her from what she truly wanted? Raoul seemed content to let things go. Let her go. Erik had kissed her passionately but did he still love her? Men were no less fickle with their emotions than women. Christine did not deny Erik was one sensually tempting man. He did have a portion of her heart but she had come to realize too late that Raoul was the love of her life. The one she pictured when she thought of having children. Now all she could see in her future was a tired grey haired old woman with a houseful of cats.

Straightening her shoulders determinedly she mentally bolstered her confidence. She could have Erik. He had shown he was not immune to her. If she could not have Raoul she would settle for a man who made her blood race with passion even if he did not make her heart beat with love. She would not be that woman with only cats for company.

When Christine's turn arrived she stepped forward with more confidence than before. She sang better than she ever had in her life. More emotion went into each note coming from her mouth. Even her best was just a little shy of Regina Tate's performance. Christine crossed her fingers that her previous experience would come into the equation when a decision was made.

The music director Randall Crane, manager Richard Blakely as well as the vocal coach Mr. Adam Stern approached the four occupants sitting in the first row.

"Well what do you think?" If Richard had known the storm he brewed with such an innocent question he might have refrained from even approaching them. As it was he did ask and the storm did build in fury at least between Katherine and Erik. The others sat back out of the line of battle thankful they were not involved.


	36. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty-five**

**Duck for Cover or Kiss Your Enemy Senseless**

"I think Regina is our best option." Katherine stated confidently. Surely Erik could see beyond his lust for a woman to the talent of Regina. Even he, the crass two faced fool that he was would not risk casting an inferior talent. Katherine was almost positive her reaction had nothing to do with the last night she and Erik had met, almost.

"Christine is the better choice she has more experience." Erik's equally confident opinion coincided with Katherine's statement. They looked at one another as if asking if the other was insane or merely tone deaf.

"Did you hear the same voices I heard or were you listening with something other than your ears? Christine missed several notes. She was reaching. I am not a singer but even I could tell she was struggling." That man had some nerve coming here to assure his mistress got the part. Well she would not stand for it. Regina Tate had clearly been the better singer. Everyone was inexperienced at some point. She refused to acknowledge the little voice resounding in her head how she had been inexperienced before the night night of the hayride in every way. A little less so today. The thought of Christine finding the same sort of pleasure with Erik's talented hands had her seething inside. She was also overwhelmed with an urge to head for the stage to remove that confident smile from Christine's face, permanently. Katherine refrained from demonstrating just how much savage still lived within her.

"I hope you are not referring to what I think you are. My opinion has nothing to do with anything other than the better choice for this opera house. Besides, with a little practice she will be as good, if not better, in a few weeks. I can train her myself." Damn if Katherine did not look tempting with her cheeks all flush and her eyes shooting fire at him. If they were alone he would most likely have kissed her senseless and damned the consequences.

"Theatre. It is The Richmond Royal Theatre. Not an opera house. It has been referred to as an opera house simply because that is all that has been performed here. I will be changing that. Regina Tate is the better singer. If you had listened with something other than your male libido you would agree with me." Katherine threw her bag onto the seat behind her planting her fisted hands on her hips ready for the challenge ahead.

Erik felt as at any moment the woman would tackle him to the ground. That image had such delightful pictures entering his mind Erik had for a few seconds forgot his purpose for being here. Everything sort of faded into the background.

Damn impertinent woman. Erik wanted to kiss her so badly his lips were burning just imagining how she would taste while at the same time he wanted to shake her for her accusations. Erik would never compromise a decision on the best person to perform any part. Music was one of the most passionate pursuits in his life. For him to defile it with anything less than perfection he would consider a sacrilege. Christine just needed practice. He could coach her as he used to. Experience was what they needed now. Later they could afford to give unknowns a change to prove themselves. Regina would be Christine's understudy. As such she would gain knowledge that would help her later as well as the practice she would be gaining on the stage.

Frustration growing right along with his anger Erik asked angrily, "Is there an office we might use to have a private discussion? There is no need to air our differences to the whole populace of the _**opera house**_." Erik emphasized the last two words. Damned if was not changing the name on that marquee as soon as he could. He wanted his opera house. He had not overpaid to own forty-nine percent of a theatre.

"I do not see..." Katherine stopped swallowing at the look in Erik's eyes. Not only anger shown out of those dark green depths. Something hot and dangerous lurked just below the surface. Something she found herself longing to unleash much to her shame.

Erik stepped closer to Katherine whispering menacingly in her ear, "Come with me willingly or suffer the consequences." His breath tickled her ear sending shivers down her spine. Whether from fear or delight she was not certain. Perhaps a little of both. She had no wish to be anywhere with him alone. She could not entirely be sure she could stick with her convictions to have nothing further to do with him. The man made every pore on her body prickle with some strange tingling. When he was near she felt breathless.

She looked at Hayden. He merely shrugged with a knowing smile. He was not about to get in the middle of this unless it became violent. Somehow he doubted Mr. Fontaine had any violent inclinations toward Katherine other than kissing her senseless. The air fairly crackled with sexual tension. He was sure it was not directed at him or Mr. Khan. He could not remember seeing two people who were more attracted to each other while both were either unaware or unwilling to acknowledge the attraction.

Katherine took a step away from Erik. She needed breathing room. When he was close she felt as if she could not take in enough air. She felt as if she were being choked. The oddest tingles traveled over her skin. Her cheeks heated in embarrassment when she thought of the dreams she had been having. She lowered her eyes not wanting him to read anything that might be hidden in the depths of her eyes. She was hardly willing to acknowledge those shamefully vivid dreams.

"Well I suppose it would be best to keep our differences private. We would not want any negative publicity for the _**threatre**_," Katherine stressed her own interpretation of what the building was. An opera house seemed to have connotations of only high brow presentations. At least that was how Gamm had made it seem when she had old Katherine of the most famous opera houses. Katherine wanted a diverse repertoire. People needed more than just music. Not everyone could understand the languages in which operas were performed or cared for the form of singing.

Richard showed them into his private office. When he stepped out into the hall closing the door on the two combatants facing off in his office he could only hope he had an office to return to when they had finished their discussion. It was a toss up if they would verbally fight or spend the time kissing each other senseless. Richard could not remember ever seeing to people causing such sparks to fly when in each others presence. It will be an interesting season that was for sure was his last thought on the matter as he walked away.

For a few seconds silence reigned over them after Richard had shown them into his office. Neither seemed willing to be the first to speak now that they were the only two in the room. The objects occupying space in the room seemed to hold more interest than the people in the room.

Erik deemed it best to be the first to speak so he said, "Do not ever accuse me of letting any attraction I may or may not have for a woman guide my decisions. Your shrewish behavior was less than impressive."

Katherine was incensed and let it show in her tone as she answered his gibe at her with one of her own, "Shrewish behavior? Why you pompous, egotistical, ignorant... You can not deny having an intimate relationship with Christine. I have first hand knowledge after all. Lord knows what..." At this point Erik interrupted with his own angered response. With each word they each took steps that brought them closer together until they were nose to nose.

"Ignorant am I? You harpy." Erik spat out.

"Uncouth lout." Katherine volleyed.

"Harridan." Erik returned with only slightly less force.

"What does...?" Katherine caught herself before she could finish the sentence. She was not about to confirm to him that she was the ignorant one. She had no idea what a harridan was but it did not sound like a compliment.

"Pompous ass." Was Katherine's breathless counter insult as Erik stepped even closer stealing her voice along with her breath.

"Mouthy bitch of a woman." By now they were within an inch of touching. As quickly as it came their anger seemed to melt as other sensations flooded the air around them. Slowly the distance between their lips shortened. Of one accord they closed their eyes. At first their lips were only brushing in a tentative caress. With a tortured groan Erik grabbed Katherine to him grinding his lips into her much softer ones. Her arms went around his neck with a groan just seconds after his arms enclosed her in a tight embrace.

Erik lost his head entirely. The only thing that mattered at this moment was keeping her close to continue fueling the flames threatening to consume him. He felt her hands stroking from the back of his neck to the sides of his face. When one hand was on each side of his face cupping his cheeks for one moment he paused fearing she may remove the mask. That thought flew out of his head as he felt her tongue stroke along his bottom lip. God, had there ever been a more sensual action than a woman's tongue stroking him? This woman in particular?

Erik let his left hand caress along her waist up toward her chest. When his fingertips encountered soft round flesh he curved his hand to cup her in the palm of his hand. Her quick intake of breath made him bolder. His thumb flicked over the taught tip of her breast. The first stroke drew her closer into his hardened manhood. He lowered his hand from her waist to her bottom pulling her into him. His hips ground of their own accord against her. It had been a while since Erik had joined with a woman. Had he ever been this hard? He had not been this engorged with only a few caresses since he first joined with Susan. He felt as if he had never had a woman before. He was a callow youth. An untried man. This felt different. Better. He felt the flames of desire heating his blood.

Katherine was lost in a whirlwind of emotions. At this moment he could ask anything and she would follow his command. The fact that at any moment they could be interrupted did not even cross her mind. Her whole being was focused on the man giving her so many new sensations. Her mind felt as if it were overloaded. Awash in unknown never before experienced sensations. She tingled everywhere while her skin seemed to have caught fire.

A discreet knock on the door had them pulling reluctantly apart. Neither seemed able to utter a word or be willing to move away from the other. They continued to hold each others gaze caught in the magnetic pull of attraction. An overwhelming all consuming attraction neither expected nor totally welcomed. It could not be denied or ignored any longer. They searched each others faces with the heat of their shared passion still firing their blood.

Erik had not had such strong feelings for any woman since Christine. This felt even stronger than what he felt for her. This was not the insane desire he had felt for Christine. He was in full control of his faculties. He was not a man desperate for the touch of a woman. Well he desperately wanted her to touch him but this desperation was different than what he had felt when he pursued Christine. This felt just as dangerous to his peace of mind. His hands were still on her waist, the trembling he felt in his hands disturbed him. Why should he feel nervous? She was just a woman. That was all. Just an attractive woman. One that made him glad he was a man.

They still stood looking at each other without moving or speaking. If they had not heard the rattle of the doorknob Erik had just made his mind up to take her back in his arms and damn the consequences. As it was he was damn close to shoving something against the door to use as a barricade.

Richard opened the door cautiously. The couple standing together as if frozen suddenly moved apart quickly. Katherine blushed from her chest to her hairline running smoothing hands over her disheveled hair. Erik pretended to have an interest in picking lint off of his suit sleeves.

Richard cleared his throat. He may not be the smartest man alive but it did not take a genius to know what had been going on behind the closed door in his office. One look at Miss Montgomery's face would have anyone with even a little imagination realizing why she blushed.

"Well so, uh, did you come together? Uh, what I mean is did you come to together yet...er rather join in a…did you finish? What I mean is did you come to some decision about our new diva?" _**God he felt the sweat dripping from every pore. His forehead felt as if he had just been doused with a glass of water. Damn he knew he should have sent one of the theatre runners to inquire if they had come to an agreement or if they needed more time.**_

Feeling less in control than ever in her life Katherine wanted nothing more than to beat a hasty retreat putting as much distance between her and Erik as possible. She bent down picking up her bag she had not even noticed she had dropped then turned saying over her shoulder as she headed toward the door with quick steps, "I will concede to Mr. Fontaine's judgment in this instance. Whatever he wants is fine by me. He seems to be better acquainted with one of the ladies than anyone else. He must know her potential for..." She hesitated as her mind filled in the words she dare not say. "He knows what she is capable of. Tell Christine de Chagny she has won her position. Get her to sign the usual contract. Good day gentlemen."

Outside the door Katherine picked up her skirts then began to run back to the auditorium. Her less than ladylike behavior concerned her not one bit at the moment. All she wanted was to leave before Erik came out to tell Christine of their decision or rather her cowardly capitulation to him. Why could she not control herself when in his presence? She behaved as if she had no willpower. She began to wonder if it had been his intention to sway her with kisses to doing as he wished. At the moment she needed to get away from Erik and Christine. Whether or not she could manage not to attack the woman was anyone's guess. Katherine herself was unsure. Which was why she thought it might be better to find Hayden and leave.

Erik knew he should be feeling triumphant. It felt a little flat having Katherine practically run out of the room to get away from him. He was still aroused and damn frustrated. Having no way to relieve his tension immediately he took it out on the only other person around. Richard had to listen to him rant and rave over nonsensical complaints that could have been taken care of with a simple request. Being a man he guessed Mr. Fontaine was, to put it delicately, a little less composed than he would wish. Richard prayed he could keep his eyes north of Mr. Fontaine's belted trousers. The rather prominent bulge had not been hard to see upon first entering his office. Knowing first hand how uncomfortable that state could be he sympathized. Being around half naked dancers daily had its benefits as well as its drawbacks. Many a night he went home to relieve himself of his own swelling in his trousers. He would allow Mr. Fontaine this release in anger since Richard himself was not of the persuasion to seek men nor was Mr. Fontaine by the looks of it the type to seek relief from another man.

Having vented until he could find no more scathing words Erik went to find Nadir. He needed a good boxing match. Tonight. He was ready to do some damage to another person. He would rather lay Katherine down and fuck her from dusk until dawn but unfortunately that would not be happening any time soon. It would have shocked him if he were to realize there was a very willing woman within a few hundred feet of him who would gladly give him relief. All he needed was to ask. Christine did not even enter his mind until he returned to the auditorium to announce the ones who would be joining the performers for their next production.

Christine pulled him into a tight embrace when she heard she had won the position of lead soprano. Erik had only just begun to return to a normal state when Christine grabbed him rubbing her body against his. Being a man with normal needs and desires he had no control over his body's reaction. He was so damn tempted to say to hell with it all and take Christine up on her open invitation to a rowdy romp among the sheets. Why he had not done so already was a mystery to him. Katherine's face flashed into his mind looking on with disapproval. Knowing he would hate himself later he gently pushed Christine away. He bid everyone a good day then quickly left.

As he rejoined Nadir he remembered he had not spoken to Meg. He had not spoken to her at Katherine's either other than his less than polite observation. He had meant to question her about her condition. If he found out Raoul had anything to do with her plight he was a dead man. If not Raoul then whoever the man was he was going to regret ever taking his first breath.

Once in the carriage heading back home Erik informed Nadir of his plans not bothering to look at him to see his censure as he stated, "I think I will be seeking a match this evening. I have a need to expend some energy."

"It has been a while since you have sought to have yourself pummeled by an opponent. My offer of whacking you still stands you know. After all what are good friends for? This sudden need for abuse would not have anything to do with a certain light haired young lady nearly running out of the building tugging a surprised Hayden along behind her would it? Just exactly what kind of conversation did you conduct with that young woman? If you have been improper Erik I will have Darius take up your oft made suggestion for a bout of boxing. I value my life too much to challenge you in that manner, but Darius has expressed several times his curiosity as to who would be the victor as you yourself have wondered many times. Perhaps now would be a good time to discover the outcome."

"I need Darius too much just at the moment to lose him over some silly game of mine is bigger than yours. I did not do anything to Katherine that she did not allow me to do. Since I know you will not cease with the interrogation I will confess we kissed. Quite a few times as well as quite passionately. We were interrupted. That is as much as I am willing to tell you."

"Katherine is it? My, my. Just the other day you acted as if your tongue would rot if you spoke her Christian name. It was Miss Montgomery this. Miss Montgomery that. At the risk of damage to my person I do think you might have more feelings for the young woman than you care to admit. Her name has been peppered throughout all our conversations since you first met her. Not all of it has been to criticize."

"Well she...we...that is we...damn it we are business partners. Why must you always see things that are not there? Why we can hardly stand one another. This passionate response is an aberration. She is without doubt too outspoken to be considered a proper lady. Not that I would spurn a woman for that. Indeed that quality is to be admired. She is quite obviously less than a meek woman. Remember how she attacked me? Not that a woman with spirit is a bad thing mind you. It makes one wonder how one might bring all that passion out behind closed doors. Her skin is not the smooth pale white considered to be proper for genteel women. Glimpsing that sun kissed skin makes one wonder if it extends beyond what the eye can see. That thought brings to mind how it got that shade and if it is the same all over."

Giving a shiver at his own words Erik straightened in his seat hoping he had not given any unfounded ideas to Nadir. No, he was not really attracted to her at all. It had just been the heat of the moment and proximity. He had no real need to kiss her soft pink lips or taste her mouth with that silky tongue of hers sliding along his own tongue and lips. His hands did not tingle in anticipation of filling them with the soft mounds of her breasts. The tent in his trousers, well, that must just be because he had been without a woman's company for many months. He was not enamored with Miss Katherine Montgomery.

"So it would not bother you at all if I have invited some young man to be her dinner partner Friday?" Nadir was sure this carrot dangled before the horse would have Erik off and running to rid himself of an unwanted guest.

"I...you...You can damn well un-invite him. There…well there is already sufficient numbers to make the gentlemen equal to the women. Another man would upset the balance. Tell the young man we are so sorry but we no longer have room at our table. He may come next week some time. Preferably when I am not at home." Erik smugly smiled at his solution to a potential irritation. What possessed Nadir to invite someone else? Huh! They had no need for another at the table. Katherine would just have to make do with him. Why it did not occur to him that Katherine would be seated anywhere other than by his side he refused to open that Pandora's Box.

"Is it not lucky then that I had not thought to invite anyone else?" Nadir settled back to enjoy the remainder of the ride home. Things were indeed looking quite promising. Not just for Erik. Thoughts of Meg kept Nadir happily occupied the rest of the way home.

Erik mentally argued with himself over his feelings or lack thereof the rest of the way home. He had absolutely no interest in Katherine other than business or a lighthearted dalliance. Who would want a woman who acted less than proper? His reaction on the night of the hayride was nothing more than a temporary lust filled moment. _**Liar.**_ It was a temporary insanity that had him kissing her as if he were lost in a desert and she was a tall glass of water. **Liar.** She was not even all that pleasing to the eye. _**Liar.**_ She had no musical skills whatsoever. Well Hayden did say she had been taught to play the piano when she was younger. How accomplished could she be after all those years without playing or practice? No she had nothing to attract him at all. _**Liar!**_ His conscience shouted at him that he lied. He chose to ignore that dissenting inner voice.

He could not help it if his mind continued to drift back to the kisses they had shared as well as the intimacy during the hayride. When Nadir had told him they would be going on a hayride and what it entailed he had scoffed at the simple countrified enjoyment. Now he could not help wondering when he might have that experience again. With Katherine.

**A/N: I am posting earlier than I expected because I very happily received a few more reviews than normal. I do love my reviews. If I continue to get a fair number of reviews I may be encouraged to post more often. Quid pro quo**.


	37. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-six**

**Fight Night**

It was just after dinner the next evening when Raoul sought out Katherine. She had eaten in her room this evening. Raoul had been in town earlier at one of the men's smoking clubs. He had heard of a place where they had boxing matches. He had wanted to see one ever since arriving in this country. When he had still had the detective on retainer he had learned that Erik had found a man to train him in the art of boxing and had competed in several bouts himself. This had prompted Raoul to seek out one of his former military mates who had boxed for sport. He had taken his own lessons. He'd be damned if he would let Erik have any advantage over him when they faced off again.

That sentiment and anger seemed a moot point now that Raoul no longer felt his whole life hinged on one woman, a woman who did not want him. Not that Raoul would back down if challenged by Erik. Indeed Raoul felt at times if he and Erik were to face off it would end a lot of the residual bitterness they harbored underneath the surface for one another. It was safe to say Raoul would like to move on to greener pastures but he was still tied to Christine. Erik had seemed somewhat torn between Christine and Katherine. A man who had for many years kept himself separated from humanity had certainly progressed in the department of la amour. By all accounts Erik had become something of a Casanova or perhaps he would prefer Don Juan? Raoul could only marvel at the changes in his own attitude. It did not bother him in the least to think of Christine with Erik. The only reservation he had was that Erik may hurt her in some way.

Once standing in front of Katherine's door Raoul's mind returned to his proposed night's entertainment. The matches he heard about that were taking place this evening were not the sanctioned bouts of official boxing clubs. These were for novice boxers or older boxers no longer permitted to fight in legal matches. Raoul thought Katherine might enjoy seeing such a competition between two men. She was not the normal squeamish woman who would faint at the sight of blood or scorn the unnecessary violence of the sport. In fact Raoul knew that a number of high society ladies attended the matches regularly.

Katherine had told Raoul of the training games the men in her camp engaged in to teach young men the skills they would need for battle as well as keeping the older ones honed to perfection. She had confessed that she had watched along with Fawn and Dove. They had enjoyed watching the men test their skills. Raoul had teased her about her own skills on one occasion. She had shyly admitted that Matthew had taught her secretly how to battle as a man.

Raoul knocked on her door after first assuring himself that no one was anywhere near. It was not proper to seek out a woman in her bedroom. He had no nefarious intentions in mind but society dictated the rights and wrongs of ones actions not ones intentions.

Katherine opened the door giving him a smile then inviting him into her room. Upon considering things he left the door open just in case. That might lesson the objections to having a man in her room. Well probably not but it made him feel his less altruistic thoughts would not take flight.

She was an attractive woman after all, although his thoughts had been on a certain woman other than either Christine or Katherine since the weekend. Fawn had occupied much of his daytime thoughts as well as his dreams at night.

Once inside her room Katherine motioned for him to sit in one of the chairs that were positioned in front of the cold fireplace. Hitching his pant legs Raoul sat down gingerly. Raoul wondered why women insisted on such fragile chairs but he supposed he would never find the answer he was sure.

"I was concerned when you did not come down for the evening meal. Mrs. Graham assured us you were not ill but simply wanted a few quiet moments. If you are sure you are feeling well I would like to invite you to go with me to a boxing match tonight. Do you know what that is?"

"I do remember when I was little father used to go to a barn somewhere to watch these matches. Mother did not approve. I have seen men fighting over the last nine years as you know. Some were battles among the men of the tribe to keep their skills honed. Others were battles with soldiers or white men attacking the encampment. I used to enjoy the bouts between the men of the tribe. No one got hurt at least not seriously. Matthew was quite good. He never lost a fight. Real or one of practice. I think I would like to go. I need to expend some frustrations. What better way than watching men beat each other mercilessly?" Katherine could think of one man she would enjoy pummeling until he was quite senseless. The picture of her kissing his many bruises that popped instantly into her head she determinedly ignored.

Raoul chuckled at her eagerness to see men do damage to each other even if it was for sport. She definitely was like no other woman he knew.

"I'll go get the carriage ready then meet you out front in about fifteen minutes. I really wanted to go but I did not want to go alone. You are really an unusual woman Katherine. Not in a negative way. You are unique. One of a kind. I better stop. I will soon run out of adjectives." He patted her shoulder in a friendly manner then left her to get her things together.

It took about thirty minutes to find the secluded barn. It was some distance off the main road. Dense underbrush and thick groves of trees almost made seeing the road impossible. The night was alive with the sound of crickets calling to one another. As they went further into the density of foliage they began to hear shouts that were no doubt made by humans. They heard an occasional horse snort or call to another.

Coming around a sharp curve in the road suddenly they were in a clearing. The large red barn was in the middle of this unexpected clearing. It was already surrounded by perhaps twenty to thirty wagons and carriages. There were a great number of horses tethered around in various spots. Watering troughs were placed strategically around so they could be reached by the tethered animals.

There were obligatory outhouses along with a well and a couple of hand pumps that were mounted over large basins. Katherine supposed this was for the men to sluice off after a bout. She could well remember how sweaty Matthew and she would get after only a short while. For these men it would be far worse. Along with the sweat would most assuredly be blood.

Raoul helped Katherine down from the carriage. Once she was firmly standing on solid ground he released her hand to go to the front of the horses to tie them to the post provided. Assuring himself that the leads were tied tightly he rejoined Katherine. They could hear raised voices before they even got close to the building. There was obviously a crowd inside.

Katherine felt her heart beat quicken. She always got excited just before Matthew and the others had faced off. It had all been in fun with just enough brutality to force them to test their skills against their opponent. The worst thing that had ever happened was a nose was broken. A few scrapes and bruises but nothing life threatening.

Raoul gave the man at the door a few bills. The tall black man looked at the amount. Pleased he handed Raoul two white hand towels then opened the door to allow them to enter.

Noticing Katherine's questioning look toward the towels Raoul shrugged and said, "For the blood. Some may splatter a bit. Mostly they are for the women who faint. If at any time you wish to leave please tell me. Perhaps this was not such a good idea after all."

Katherine huffed and stuck her nose just slightly in the air. She snatched one of the towels from Raoul's hand. She marched through the doorway into the well lit and very crowded interior. The benches seemed full. The area around the floor was packed shoulder to shoulder with men. The women sat mostly on the benches interspersed with a few men.

The inside was alight with lanterns all around. Bleachers were around a square area roped off with a dirt floor. There were men around with their shirts off boxing an imaginary opponent. There muscles bulged with the movement. Many boasted many scars.

Raoul motioned to a bench in the second row. There were two empty seats. They had to climb over two women. Raoul was quite sure he felt a firm pinch on his backside as he passed the ladies. He flushed hoping no one had seen the woman make the bold move. He sat next to Katherine praying the woman on his other side was not the one who gave him the pinch. Although casting a quick glance to the side he noticed both women were more than just pretty as well as being amply endowed and apparently not ashamed to display their bounty.

Katherine was looking around trying to get a feel for the place. She eyed several men who no doubt were going to participate in a match. She was casually looking when her gaze suddenly locked on an all too familiar profile. He had his shirt removed. He was talking to a man big enough to lift a full grown buffalo. Katherine could not help but hope that Erik was not going to pair with that man. Lord above his hands were as big as her head.

Erik felt eyes upon him. Not the usual stares of the women wondering what he would be like to bed or the men wondering if he were worthy of a wager. He rolled his shoulders in irritation trying to shake the unwanted feeling. Ox had made it into town earlier this afternoon. Erik had sent him a telegram a week ago asking him to come work for him in his warehouse as the overseer. He needed someone he could trust. The present man was an insolent man he was sure was on the payroll of Jackson Tyler, the man who was stealing all Erik's merchandise from his warehouses. So far he had not been able to catch the man or prove anything. He had only his gut instinct. Darius had been working in the warehouses as an employee trying to gather information. He had picked up a few things listening to conversations. Nothing concrete but enough to warrant investigation.

Ox was just as he was when Erik had met him all those months ago. A little irreverent with the heart of a lion while at the same time championing the underdogs. Erik still equated him with Robin Hood for the man still took advantage of cleaning out the pockets of the rich to provide a bit of comfort for the less fortunate. He did use a bit of that for his own comfort as well but that was to be expected. Ox was a big bear of a man with a soft heart who just happened to like to pummel another man now and again.

"Say Erik my fine friend I was by your place earlier and there was this fine figure of a woman that brought me a cup of tea while I waited for that Darius fellow. Nadir refused to deal with me. Can ye' imagine such a thing? What might the woman's name be and might she be a lonesome woman? Bye the way I hope tea does not offend the plant in your parlor. I did no' have the heart to tell the woman I could no' stand the drink. She seemed so all fired set on givin' it to me I had it in my hands before I could muster a word."

"Stay away from her. She is my housekeeper. She is off limits."

Ox did not fail to notice Erik did not specifically mention the ladies name so in his book that made for a fine loop hole when and if Ox got caught in the hen house. "Fine there are plenty just waitin' to know ole Ox. So Erik Nadir was a tellin' me all about ye' troubles. You just leave it in ole Ox's hands. I'll ha' the bugger flushed out in no time. Seems you ha' been workin' out a might. Ye' ha' packed on a bit of muscle since our last meetin'. Do na' look behind ya' but there be a right beaut of a woman starin' a might fixed at ye'. Have ye' been a Tom cattin' Erik? Quite a looker she is. If ye' know want her I'd be right proud to take her off your hands boyo. Right pretty little thing she is too. Wonder how long an' luscious that light hair might be all tumblin down loose over nothin' but skin. Does set a man's mind to ponderin' don't it Erik?"

Erik picked up a towel then casually turned around. Letting his eyes travel over the crowd behind him as he used the towel to shield his face wiping at his mouth with the cloth. He cursed when he saw Raoul then did so again when his eyes locked on Katherine. _**Damn it. What the hell was wrong with Raoul bringing her here? God damn it he had his mask off.**_ Normally that would not bother him, at least not when he was about to get in the ring. His face did not matter to anyone at these matches. Having Katherine and Raoul see him was another matter entirely.

Erik wanted to stride right over to that idiot knocking that smile right off his face. Damn fool. What he would not give to have Raoul in the ring with him for just a minute.

Forgetting all about Raoul when he caught Katherine giving him a very concentrated thorough perusal his body snapped to attention. His skin began that odd prickling as if ants were crawling along his skin followed by the heat of arousal. _**Damn. That's all he needed was to step in the ring with his trousers tented with his manhood raised at full mast. That would really give the crowd an entertaining evening. Fuck!**_

"Ox hit me. In the stomach. Do not try to kill me just give me a good blow. Enough to hurt without injury. God damn woman. Why did she have to come now? And with him of all people? He would just love to see me embarrassed. Well I will not give him that satisfaction. Hit me Ox. Now before I change my mind." Erik closed his eyes readying himself for the blow he knew was coming.

Ox looked over Erik's shoulder at the woman. She still had not looked away from Erik. Ah, now Ox understood. Erik was in a bit of discomfort. He needed a little pain to have his thoughts thinking of other things. Who was ole Ox to deny a man what he wanted? Besides he owed Erik a wee bit of pain for his actions when they first met. Ox plowed his fist into Erik's stomach. Just enough to knock the wind out of him for a short time. He did not put enough force behind the blow to even move Erik from where he stood. Much.

Erik struggled to regain his breath. The ploy had done the trick. His manhood was limp as a noodle. He was damn glad he did not ever plan to challenge Ox to a match as much as it disturbed him that he had never had the opportunity to test his skills in a real match with him. Erik was quite sure he could give Ox a run for his money, but he was quite certain the man could also kill him. He just had to make one thing clear to Ox though so he leaned in close to Ox to make sure he heard every word he said, "Stay away from that woman. If you so much as speak to her in any other way than as an acquaintance I will have to hurt you. She is off limits. Do I make myself clear? I will not be using my fists should you choose to ignore my warning. I am sure I do not have to elaborate any further as to what I mean."

Erik was a little unclear why it irked him to think of any man with Katherine. He just knew it did. He should be glad to see her interest focused elsewhere. He had trouble with his own especially when he remembered the two times they had nearly thrown caution to the wind. He turned to scowl in Raoul's direction. Raoul most of all irritated him. The thought of that perfect face close to Katherine during a kiss irked him beyond reason. He turned back just as Ox readied to give him a hearty slap to his back.

"Oh, indeed not my lad, indeed not. So the woman has caught your eye has she now? Pretty little thing she is too. If I did no' value our new friendship I would no' be givin' in so peaceable like. Tis a shame I'll no' get ta find out her hidden treasures. Lucky for me there are women a plenty needin' a big strong man with skills in the bedroom that leave 'em weepin' wantin' more." Ox slapped Erik on the back. Erik was braced for the slap. He had learned quickly that was the way Ox gave his approval to his friends. The more he liked you the harder and greater number of smacks to the back.

Katherine could not keep her eyes from returning to Erik over and over. There were other men just as muscled. Indeed some were even more impressive. She could not help but notice the other women with their eyes trained in Erik's direction as well. She had no idea where the sudden urge came from to blindfold all those lecherous women. After futilely fighting to keep from staring at Erik she at last gave a mental shrug deciding to enjoy what was in front of her. Why should she deny herself this forbidden pleasure? No one seemed to object to the other women ogling Erik. Well except for her that is. Indeed some were boldly shouting rather suggestive comments at Erik as well as the other men getting ready to enter the ring.

Katherine wanted to smack the woman at her side when she kept shouting some very rude and lude remarks at Erik. Apparently Erik had quite a following of admirers. Various women were making attempts to gain his attention. She could only fume in silence while wishing they would all go temporarily blind.

"So what do you think so far Katherine? I had heard Erik attended matches as well as participating. I did not know he would be here tonight. His presence does not bother you does it? If it does we can leave."

Not able to tear her eyes from Erik's imposing figure she answered Raoul distractedly, "No. No of course not. Why should it bother me? We hardly know each other." Well after the hayride and the encounter today they knew each other quite well.

"Katherine, pardon me if I step out of line but I could hardly miss how you and Erik have reacted to each other. After your altercation in the theatre the place buzzed with speculation as to what happened behind those closed doors. It seems others observed the glances between the two of you that neither of you seem to be aware of. I just wish to caution you where Erik is concerned. He has had an ongoing affection for Christine for many years. One which as you know was quite destructive as I told you before. I just would not want to see anything happen to you. I would not want to see you hurt."

"There is nothing between us so there is no need for your concern. I thank you for your concern for my welfare. I do value your friendship. The only thing I feel for Mr. Fontaine is concern about how he will affect my business ventures." Her whole conversation was made while her gaze remained fixed on Erik. Any fool could see she was attracted to him. Raoul was not a fool.

Raoul followed Katherine's gaze. She was attracted even if she was unaware of that fact. He hoped Erik would not hurt her or Christine. Although knowing Katherine as he did he could almost feel sorry for Erik. Raoul had a feeling that once Katherine became aware of her feelings then finally gave into them neither hell nor high water would keep her from pursuing what she wanted. He could picture her stealthily treading through a forest tracking her prey. Running it to ground then collecting her prize. In this case it was a man. Erik. A man Raoul should hate but he did not. He could not say he liked Erik but he no longer held any ill will toward him. He still felt compelled to compete with him but he no longer wished to run him through with his sword every time he saw him. Letting Christine go had allowed him to let go of his anger toward Erik. It was pointless, which was a good thing as he was to have dinner in Erik's home on Friday night. Raoul wondered what sort of competition they would embroil in during the evening.

The crowd shouting brought Raoul back to the present. Erik was stepping into the ring. Raoul could not miss Katherine's move to the edge of her seat. Her focus was glued to the man in the ring. Raoul smiled shaking his head. What did Erik have that drove women to such devotion in such a short time? For a man who claimed to have no appeal to women it would seem Erik had quite a following if he were to judge by the women watching the match about to begin.

Some of those women who would normally be quite sedate and prim and proper were shouting out the most lude as well as crude suggestions to Erik. Raoul's face began to flush when the woman who he was sure pinched him made a particularly off color remark concerning Erik's hidden male attributes. It would seem nothing was off limits to discuss at these matches. Everyone was free to behave in a most immoral manner. Raoul rather liked that aspect. He had always thought women were held in too much restraint. Given the opportunity they could be equal to men in any situation. That opinion he kept to himself as it would not win him favor with any of the men of the clubs he patronized.

Erik could feel her eyes on him. It could only be her making his skin feel in this peculiar way. He rolled his shoulders trying to shake the feeling. He had to focus on the bout ahead or he might come away with a few more bruises than usual. He had no wish to disgrace himself in front of Katherine or de Chagny. Before when he met his opponent it was as a means to rid himself of his demons. With her looking on he felt he had to prove something to her as well as himself. What he needed to prove he could not say other than he felt in some way his manhood hung in the balance.

Perhaps more than his manhood was at stake. His eyes kept track of Katherine's every movement. Giving himself a mental shake he concentrated on his opponent.

Erik had been paired with a well known ex-boxer called Bull. The man was almost as big as Ox. He stood at least six foot six. Erik guessed he weighed somewhere between a full grown walrus and a rhino. With his bushy mustache and tough looking hide he could go either way was Erik's silent opinion.

"Erik this one's a bit of different kettle of fish than anyone ye' may have gone a round or two with afore. He'll no be wearin' out. He's a steady sort. He pounds away at his opponent a bit at a time. Watch that left. He has a powerful uppercut. Has a bit of a glass jaw though if ye' get the chance ta' tap him one. He'll no' be droppin' his guard. You'll have ta' draw him out. Might have ta' take a hit or two. As long as ye' stay away from that left things should be right as rain. So if ye' do na' make it out just so ye' know, I'll be makin' me move on the little lass. I hear tell she's a might on the wild side just gettin' back from the wilds and all."

Erik was pulling off his leather gloves. One might think he had no interest in what Ox just stated. On the contrary his voice filled with menace he quietly said, "You so much as look cross-eyed at her and I will gut you as you watch me do it. This is the last time I will warn you. The next time you die." From his nonchalant stance one would not think he did not have anything but pleasant conversation on his mind. When Erik met Ox's eyes the man could see nothing but deadly promise looking back at him.

Ox raised his hands in surrender as he said, "No need to get so fierce lad. All that need be said was ye' had a claim on the lass. Ole Ox has no need ta' be poachin' another man's woman. There's always a woman waitin' for the likes of ole Ox. I'll no be braggin' just fillin' in the facts. Women find a bit of rough diamonds to their taste now and again. Takin' a closer look at the wee lass I'd wager ye' might no come away unscathed Erik. The ones like that dig deep under a man's skin. Burrow down until they reach his heart. If that is no' the way ye' be thinkin' I might suggest ye' avoid the lass altogether."

"I have no idea what the hell you are talking about." Erik had an idea but it was preposterous. No one would own his heart ever again. He was now starting to realize all he had left of his feelings for Christine was a natural lust for a beautiful woman. One who was willing to give herself to him even if his damn mind refused to accommodate his body.

"Well I have given ye' my warnin'. I canna' do more than that. Do no' be forgettin' to send ole Ox an invite to the weddin'." He slapped Erik on the back with a hearty laugh then left before Erik could respond.

With one quick furtive glance at Katherine Erik turned his attention to the man joining him in the ring. Just before the bell rang Erik thought _**"This should be interesting". **_

**_A/N: As promised I have posted another chapter since my reveiws were most gratifying. I know the begging seems cheap as a two dollar hooker but I need the fix every now and again. Thanks for feeding my need. _**


	38. Chapter 37

**A/N: Here is another chapter decicated to all those kind souls who take a moment to give me a little encouragment. Thanks to you all and enjoy your reward.**

**Chapter Thirty-seven**

**The Blood Begins to Race**

For the first half of the round the two men traded blow for blow. Erik kept in mind Ox's advice. He went in to deliver quick blows then backed off just far enough away that any fist thrown in his direction only connected with a glancing blow. In order to reach Erik Bull had to let his guard down. An opportunity Erik took advantage of. His fist connected solidly with Bull's chin. The man staggered back. Blood was beginning to flow freely from his mouth. Both men had blood on their faces from split lips as well as bloody noses.

Bull shook his head roaring as he charged Erik. Erik tried to step to the side. He felt the bone breaking blow to his own jaw. It felt as if his head nearly came off his shoulders with the force of the solid blow he received. Erik staggered back. Damn one more hit like that and he would be kissing the floor in an undignified heap.

He would be damned if he would fall down in front of de Chagny or Katherine. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. It came away covered in blood. The crowd roared in a fever of excitement. This sound no longer gave Erik the feeling it did in the beginning. Now it was just an irritating background noise. He no longer fought to impress the crowd or win their favor. He fought to expel the demons that threatened to overtake him at times. Those demons haunted him less with the passing of time.

The ting-ting of the bell signaled the end of the round. Ox gave Erik a swig of water to cleanse his mouth. It still disgusted Erik to spit like that but it was a necessary thing.

"Your doin' fine boyo. One good tap and he'll be sleepin' for the rest o' the night. Any loose teeth yet? You know I been a thinkin' ye' must have an iron jaw. As many times as ye' been knocked in ye' jaw one would think ye' would at least lose one little ole tooth."

"Well you do not have to sound so disappointed. That hit he just gave me near took my head off. That would have been better than a tooth would it not? Again I am sorry to disappoint you."

"Now none o' that Erik my lad. Tis a fine compliment I be payin' ye'. To be able to take blows to the head without losin' a bit o' smarts is a true gift for a boxer. In case it has escaped ye' notice half these gents comin' to the ring are shall we say a might dim in the noggin'? Makes for a head scratchin' moment wondrin' why lads enter time and time again. Well now I believe I'll be chattin' with some o' these fine lassies. Do no' get yourself killed in the next round boyo." He gave Erik one of his typical body jarring smacks to his back then went into the middle of a crowd of men where Ox pretended interest as he scouted out what woman he would bless with his talents tonight.

Erik looked over at Bull. He wondered what motivation Bull had to enter the ring. Erik had his own reasons. His reasons were becoming less pressing since his mind had been occupied with a certain light haired, blue eyed beauty.

Most of the time now he fought to keep his skills honed. It was more about pitting his skills against a worthy opponent. To win against an opponent equally capable or even better was a heady drug in itself. The adulation of the crowd when he was the victor still pleased him but it was no longer his main concern. Now his matches were more about his own personal satisfaction in winning against another man.

The ting-ting signaled the beginning of the next round. Erik kept from sustaining too much damage while wearing his opponent down a little at a time. Round three ended with Bull barely able to find his way to his corner.

This was raw brutality and much to her shock Katherine loved every moment of it. Not the part where Erik received such bruising jabs but the matching of skills for no other reason than to see who was the stronger or sometimes more clever combatant. A good combination of the two could make a smaller man the victor.

Erik's muscles had rippled in his arms as he threw punch after punch. Katherine had swallowed repeatedly with difficulty as she saw the massive bulging muscles on Erik's back. The scarring seemed to escape her notice as she had trouble tearing her eyes away from the beauty of Erik's half naked form on display before her.

Hearing the woman next to Raoul shouting out those indecent suggestions to Erik once more, Katherine had to force herself to keep herself firmly in her seat. Although much more of this and she would be tackling that woman in a very unacceptable manner. Katherine glared in the oblivious woman's direction. If her look alone could kill that woman would have expired within the next few seconds much to Katherine's delight.

Coming back into the center of the ring after a short break round four was about to commence. Erik had forced himself not to look once at either de Chagny or Katherine. He knew if he looked into her eyes he would be too distracted to defend himself. Why she left him feeling weak kneed yet stiff as poker in other places he could not fathom. He had never felt quite this way before. Sure he had had desire for a woman. This was somehow different. Somehow more important than anything he had felt before. It was not just lust. He did not know how to describe it, he just knew it was different and he wished to pursue it.

Mentally shaking off his silent musing he brought his mind back to the task at hand. Gathering his wits as well as his reserve stamina Erik circled his opponent looking for an opening. Bull losing patience with this useless dance around the ring stepped toward Erik dropping his arm slightly to ready his fist to take a swing at Erik. Erik seeing his golden opportunity gathered all his power into that one swing at Bull's jaw. His fist connected jerking Bull's head back with the force of the hit. He staggered a few steps then went down to his knees. He fell forward. He would not be getting back up any time soon. Erik was clearly the victor.

Erik raised his hands as he always did when he had a victory. Turning around he came to a sudden stop when his eyes locked with a pair of soft blue eyes burning into him causing that now familiar prickling of ants crawling along his skin. That gave way to heat scorching along every nerve ending centering in his manhood.

The shouting of the crowd had Katherine returning her eyes to Erik after once again sending the oblivious hussy sitting next to Raoul a scowl that would have had anyone who knew Katherine wrapping their arms around their hair.

She smiled as she wiggled in her seat to get more comfortable. Yes, Erik was definitely a much better view. Katherine did not take her gaze away from Erik for quite some time. Indeed she did not really try. When Erik had won his match with a knockout she had risen with the rest of the crowd applauding his victory. Her own hands stung from the force of bringing them together so hard. Every ripple of Erik's muscles had tightened the coil in her abdomen. It was hard to sit still with the tingling between her thighs. It may not be proper or accepted but Katherine wanted Erik. She wanted him in every way a woman can want a man to share intimacies with her. She wanted him to repeat what he had done to her the other night while going further. She wanted all of him whatever that entailed. Not ever having been kissed or touched by anyone other than Erik she had no idea what really came next. She was more than willing to find out.

She could no longer deny how she felt. He drew her no matter how hard she tried to fight against him. Why she could not have fallen for Raoul or Hayden she had no clear idea. Of course Fawn might have something to say if she showed an interest in Raoul. Hayden poor man had fallen head over heels for Christine. If Katherine did not have such a strong attraction toward Erik she might have made a play for Hayden just to save him from Christine. Since Katherine's affections were heading in another direction, Hayden, poor soul, was on his own.

When Katherine had thought of romance she had never envisioned the mess that was unfolding before her eyes. Were they all doomed to be left with broken hearts? The thought of Christine with Erik had Katherine's mouth firming while the light of battle lit her eyes. She was not without charms. At least Matthew had reassured her she was pleasing to the male eye. Raoul had seemed to think she was attractive. How did one go about letting a man know you wanted his attention without making it seem as if you were too eager?

"Katherine...Katherine," Raoul called to her twice slightly louder the second time.

Blinking her eyes in confusion Katherine turned to Raoul with a question in her eyes. Her mind had been wandering through a delectable array of images of Erik with her wrapped in h

is strong arms. Things she would die if anyone knew she would even think such things let alone wish to explore some of them. Sudden heat in her lower abdomen began to spread outwardly over her skin. This was the same heat she had felt when Erik had kissed her. Recalling what had happened next she quickly lowered her eyes sure that everyone would be able to see her thoughts clearly displayed on her face.

"Would you be alright if I left you alone while I went over to that table? I think I might like to see if anyone may join in the bouts. It seems a good way to release some frustrations. Lord knows I have many of those." Thinking of Christine, then further to complicate things he thought of Fawn. He had not meant to kiss her. Well in all actuality she had grabbed him then kissed the socks nearly off his feet. They had been talking then suddenly they were not. They were in a deep kiss. One that curled his toes while leaving him breathless, wanting more.

He thanked God it had been dark. They had been in the front corner so he did not think they had been observed. If Matthew had seen anything Raoul was sure he would not be able to breath right now. Not that he could blame Matthew. What he had done was far from what any gentleman should do with a young woman, especially given his marital status as well as Fawn's innocence. He was convinced he might have given her, her first kiss. She had been tentative and shy. Once she caught on good God she had nearly burned him alive.

Raoul had been so hard and aroused long after he had gone to bed. He had been sorely tempted to give himself release but for some reason it just did not seem right to use the same method for release he used after a night at the club looking at those damn postcards and pictures of women of all shapes and sizes posed in ways to make a man's blood boil.

That kind of thinking naturally led to thinking of Fawn and how she would look spread across his bed with nothing but moonlight covering her body. Matthew was going to scalp him yet. Damn if he did not think she was worth it. He grew hard just imagining such things.

"Raoul. Raoul." Now it was Katherine's turn to try to attract Raoul's attention.

He cleared his throat while he fidgeted with his cuff links. His face flushed with color. Katherine wondered if he were getting ill. He looked as if he had a temperature. Or perhaps it was too warm in here for him.

It was rather hot now that she thought about it. The heat overtaking her could have something to do with a certain man only partially dressed. Perhaps it was time for her to make a discreet exit.

"Yes Katherine?" He had not been caught in the middle of a very vivid daydream about a woman since he hit puberty. He was looking forward to seeing Fawn tomorrow he suddenly realized. He had even gone to the tailors to have a suit he chose altered for the occasion. He had not anticipated seeing a woman in this manner perhaps since he had first seen Christine at The Paris Opera House. The thought of Christine effectively drove out any lustful thoughts. He was legally still bound to Christine. It was not proper to think of one woman while still tied to another unless a man planned making the new woman his mistress which he did not. It was not proper but it was commonly accepted. At least in France it was accepted. He wanted Fawn in every way a man could want a woman. He would settle for nothing less.

"If you will not be long I will wait for you in the carriage." At his look of concern she smiled assuring she would be fine for a few minutes. Remembering her skills getting Erik under control he had no doubt anyone foolish enough to try anything with her would come away with less than he had in the beginning. He remembered the knife she kept strapped to her thigh when she left the estate at any time.

Katherine welcomed the fresh cooling night breeze. The moon was still fairly bright. Walking to the carriage she stepped up taking a seat. She allowed her mind to return to Erik. She relaxed closing her eyes to allow her mind to take her where it would. All thoughts led to Erik. She felt the carriage dip as someone stepped up then she felt the seat dip with the weight of someone sitting beside her.

"Did you get what you wanted?" Katherine asked with her eyes still closed with a small smile accompanied by a dreamy look on her face.

"Not yet but the night is still young." The deep voice had her eyes popping open startled to find the man she had been thinking of sitting there beside her.

Katherine turned to him to give him a haughty dressing down for assuming she would welcome him. The words got lost somewhere between her vocal cords and her lips. She could utter not one word so captivated was she by his closeness. She could smell a hint of his cologne. His hair was wet as was his shirt. He must have used the pump outside to wash off with before coming to her. The thought of him sluicing off with his shirt off was almost as mind scrambling as her first sight of him with his shirt off getting ready to enter the ring.

Now that Erik was here he could think of not one intelligent thing to say. He felt his hands begin to tremble. He folded them in his lap hoping to still their shaking. What was the matter with him? His whole body felt as if it were about to catch fire while tremors raced up and down his body. His mouth had taken on the dryness of a desert. What the hell was the matter with him? Surely he could not be nervous. No that was impossible. He had been with many women. All of them beautiful with much more experience than Katherine. It was ludicrous to think she made him nervous. Preposterous. Erik wondered how many more adjectives he would have to list in order to convince himself Katherine did not scare the shit out of him with her innocence. To be her first lover was a huge responsibility as well as the pressure men put on themselves to impress a woman with their prowess. At this moment he felt all thumbs with not one clever thought in his head.

Should he mention how pleasant the evening was? Perhaps he should mention the sultry breeze blowing that was gently scented with honeysuckle and lilac? Should he inquire about her day? No that might bring memories of the days activities at the theatre to mind. Erik had never had to speak with a woman about mundane things. All the women he had ever been associated with did not care for much conversation beyond telling him what they liked as well as how to do it to them. Or to mention some piece of jewelry they had seen in a shop window.

Somehow that did not seem an appropriate conversation for a proper young woman. Hell he should not even be sitting here beside her without a chaperone. He glanced around belatedly making sure no one was around. He should have thought of that aspect before he saw her leave the building without Raoul. Damn if he would not give that boy a piece of his mind for allowing her to come out here unescorted. Anyone could have approached her. Taken advantage of her. Kissed her. Held her in his arms. Touched her soft skin. His thoughts sort of derailed from where they were first headed leading him into forbidden territory.

Erik had avoided all the congratulatory backslapping in order to chase after Katherine. Once out in the fresh night air his own body's fragrance hit his nostrils causing him to grimace.

He had soap, a towel and some cologne in his buggy. Erik hated to be sweaty and smelly. He had gone to one of the pumps after retrieving his articles he would need to freshen up. Sniffing his shirt he found it to smell somewhat like the stale smoke of the barn but that could not be helped. If he had known Katherine would be here he would have brought a fresh shirt. He was thankful he at least smelled somewhat pleasant.

He glanced to the side allowing his gaze to run down over her silhouette. God even from this angle she stirred his blood. He had to taste her again and damn the consequences.

Not giving a second to change his mind he put his arm around her then drew her to him. Placing his lips on hers he kissed her hungrily. She whimpered. Not in protest as he at first thought. She wound her hands around to the back of his head threading her fingers in his hair. She scooted closer to him. Erik nearly went up in flames when she lowered her hand to his lap. Once there she hesitated. It would seem her bravery or her knowledge stopped with her hand nestled against his straining manhood.

Katherine had thought to give him the same kind of pleasure he had given her but some part of her mind that was still able to function kept her from going further. Raoul her mind whispered. Raoul could return at any moment. As far as that went anyone could come along. Dear God the man stole all her sense of propriety. Her sense of self-preservation completely deserted her.

Erik drew reluctantly away from her tempting lips. He rested his forehead against hers as he spoke softly, "We have to stop. God I do not want to but we must. People will be coming out soon." Inhaling a calming breath Erik gave her a hard kiss on her lips just before he jumped down to the ground.

Turning to face her he asked, "You are still coming on Friday are you not?" He tried his damnedest to keep the urgent pleading from entering his voice. Was that his pathetic voice almost pleading with her to grace his table with her presence? Next would he be groveling at her feet for a kind word or pat on his head? That scenario had an all too familiar ring to it. Erik removed such unworthy thoughts from his mind. This was Katherine. Not Christine. Erik was somewhat shocked when a little voice in his head shouted "Thank God". Had he truly once and for all removed Christine's stranglehold from his heart?

Erik hoped Katherine never learned the power she wielded over him. No one had made him feel like this since Christine. Hell this was worse. It had taken years for him to think of Christine in romantic terms even when she turned fifteen and started to become a woman. He had continued for almost three years to give her lessons as nothing more than her Angel. It had taken that long for him to gather his courage. With Katherine all he wanted to do was drag her off to the nearest bed, learn every inch of her then learn about the inner workings of her mind. He wanted to know her fully in every way possible. With Christine it had been their shared love of music that pricked his interest at first then he had noticed her physical beauty. With every other woman he had known over the years his only interest had been centered on the pleasures in the bedroom. Katherine he feared could cut him in ways Christine never had if they were to become close then something separated them.

"I will be there. I...I...would you kiss me once more? Please?" The thought had barely formed in her mind that she wanted to taste his lips once more before the words were coming out of her mouth. Flushing at her boldness she waited with her breath locked in her chest.

Erik felt himself tremble. Damn if he was not coming down with some illness or other. Erik stepped up onto the step of the carriage. Not getting in to sit down beside her, he stood perched on the step as he reached for her. Wrapping his hand around her upper arm he gently pulled, encouraging her closer to him. She scooted across the seat toward him. When she was within bare inches of him he put his hand behind her head pulling her into the kiss. Fire streaked through both of them as soon as their lips met. Erik groaned deeply.

Releasing a dazed Katherine Erik once again stepped to the ground. A thought struck him just as he was about to leave. Turning back toward her he asked, "Why have you not said anything about my face?" It galled him to ask but he needed to know.

Katherine leaned out of the carriage so her face was once again close to his as she asked, "Your face? Are you fishing for compliments? You are handsome. Devilishly so. Does that satisfy you?"

"You did not notice anything different about me tonight?" He could feel her breath brush across his face. She smelled of mint. He wished he could see her more clearly. She had not kissed him as if she minded his face.

"Of course I did. You were half clothed. How could I not notice? Not one woman in there missed that I am sure." Katherine to her chagrin sounded quite miffed at the thought of other women ogling him. Lusting after him.

Erik chuckled. She did sound rather put out at the prospect of those other women seeing the same thing she had. He could not help the boost to his pride that thought gave him. He could not understand or quite believe she had not noticed the absence of his mask but had noticed the other women ogling him.

"Good night Katherine." His breath brushed across her lips. It was almost as arousing as his kiss. Not quite but almost.

"Good night Erik. I look forward to seeing you on Friday." Katherine hoped she did not sound too eager. A lady should not give a man the impression she was eager for his company without the benefit of a chaperon. Since she had already committed more errors than she could count in her lapses of judgment what did one more matter?

Erik had to force himself to walk away with a sedate stride when all he really wanted was to jump in the air while whooping like a fool.

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	39. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-eight**

**Threats and Conversation **

When Erik got home the lights were on in the living room. This ritual had been Threats and Conversation started in their first few months Erik, Nadir and Darius had began living together and continued on today. Nadir usually waited up for him just in case he needed medical aid. He was surprised to see Darius standing in front of the fireplace with his arms folded looking none too pleased. His hair looked as if he had run his hands through it repeatedly. It stuck out at all angles. His usual pleasant welcoming countenance had been overtaken by a grime unsmiling face.

Giving Darius a sharper inspection Erik could see the anger in the man's eyes as well as the clenching and unclenching of his jaw. Damn if someone had not been foolish enough to anger the behemoth standing before Erik. With that unfamiliar dark cloud of emotion settling in Darius' eyes he looked quite fierce. Erik expected steam to come boiling from out of the man's ears and nostrils at any moment. He pitied the poor fool who had earned this much negative emotion from a man who rarely showed any emotion whatsoever. Particularly a man who had the potential to tear a man in half with his bear hands.

Darius and Nadir had been discussing the dinner on Friday which happened to be tomorrow. Darius wanted none of the usual drama that occurred when Erik was around that de Chagny woman or her husband Raoul. He wanted to impress Dove not scare her witless if Erik caused one of his little dramas because of Christine and Raoul.

"Darius if you do not mind my saying so you look somewhat distraught. Is there something I can help you with?" Erik thought the snort as well as the sour look that greeted his innocent question had been uncalled for.

"Damn right you can help. If you so much as blink the wrong way tomorrow I will not be responsible for my actions. I do not ask for much. I take all your insanity in stride. We take all your insanity in stride. Nadir and I want tomorrow's dinner to go smoothly. There will be women there that we hold some admiration for and wish to impress." As he spoke Darius waived his arms around to emphasize his words.

Erik could not have been more shocked when he learned he was the object of Darius' ire. What had he done? He could think of nothing, well at least nothing recent.

"I..." That's as far as Darius let Erik get before he interrupted him.

"I am not finished. You will be polite to Raoul even if it chokes you. You will be courteous to the point of nausea. I do not care if you take Christine to your bed and do whatever takes your fancy. If the two of you want to get naked then dance around the garden I do not care, but only after dinner and everyone has gone home. Until then she is only a guest."

"One misstep and I will..." He paused turning to the fireplace he picked up the poker. Using his two hands he bent that metal into a circle. Well that answered Erik's speculating question as to just how strong Darius was. Darius thrust the bent metal into Erik's chest then stalked from the room. Erik had never seen Darius show so much emotion. Usually he was quite sedate even in matters that were upsetting and potentially volitile. Eyeing the misshapen poker Erik gave a tentative squeeze. Pushing with all his might the damn metal stayed just as it was when Darius shoved it rather hard into his chest. Erik considered himself lucky not to be wearing the metal in the middle of his chest. He suspected if Darius wanted he could have pushed it out the other side of Erik's back.

Erik thanked whatever kind providence that had kept him from ever challenging Darius to a bout in the ring. The man would no doubt have used him to wipe the floor. Carefully Erik placed the misshapen poker on the hearth. As a warning it was less than subtle. It was also highly affective.

"Well Erik what do you have to say to that? Darius and I have come to the conclusion that we will not put up with any of your usual antics. If Christine is what you want fine. I personally think you would be better off bedding a vier but we wil not interfere any longer. I will tell you that Katherine would be the better choice but then we can not force such things. You will be civil to Raoul and to everyone else as well. I might regret it but I will attempt to give you a sound thrashing if you step out of line or cause one moment of disruption. As you now are aware Darius is ready to thoroughly thrash you if you spoil his plans." Nadir finally ran out of steam. He stood with his arms folded across his chest while looking at Erik with determination and challenge written all over his face.

"Well now I have to say this is somewhat of a surprise. Darius was quite passionate. He must care for that young woman. What was her name again? Dove? Yes, Dove. He must be serious in his intentions toward her. What made him think I would do anything? I am quite civilized you know. I do know how to behave at social functions. If that boy behaves I will do the same. Now I have important matters to discuss with you." As far as Erik was concerned the matter was closed. Apparently Nadir was not finished emphasizing his thoughts on the matter.

"_**The boy's**_ name is Raoul as you well know. Regardless of what you may think Erik the world does not revolve around you and what you want. We have given into your demands for far too long. You have had your way like a spoiled child. It is time for you to realize we have lives of our own we would wish to pursue. Darius and I both have lives beyond the worry and care of you believe it or not. I too wish to make my feelings known to a woman. I found myself quite taken with Marguerite. She is a most charming young woman." Nadir lost himself for a moment thinking of her beautiful face with those wonderful eyes that held no guile only complete innocence as well as trust. For a woman in her situation knowing what had happened to her he thought she was one of the bravest, most forgiving people he knew.

"Marguerite? Meg? Antoinette's Meg? I do not wish to seem as if I disapprove of any association you may form with her but Nadir...well…that is...Well did it escape your notice that Meg was somewhat heavy with child? Do you know what that means? She...well...soon there will be a child you know. Women do...things, after giving birth." Erik waived his arms around in the air as if he could conjure a diagram to show Nadir exactly what he meant.

"Oh course I noticed. Do you think I am blind? Indeed I did notice. As for...things that women do after birth do not forget I once had a wife and a son. Do you think I picked him from the cabbage patch? I am well aware of what takes place in a woman's body when she has a child before and after. I am well aware that nourishment is given by the mother as well as the means by which this is accomplished."

Erik stopped listening to Nadir for a moment as an all too clear flashed before him of Katherine sitting up in his bed with a child nursing at her breast while he smiled down at them contentedly. Nadir's continuing his narrative brought Erik back from his disturbing introspection. Good God had he actually been contemplating a child? One of his own? No way in hell Erik concluded.

"I am aware of her circumstances. As you well know I have been informed of things happening with the de Chagny household for some time since you disregard other people's privacy when reading mail not intended for you. You are not so stealthy or discreet that I was unaware you pilfered my letters. One would think I would have learned long ago to burn that which I did not want you to see."

Erik waived aside his misconduct with a shrug as he stated, "Well it was not as if you would tell me what was in those letters. I have never been able to understand why you simply do not show me such things. You know my penchant for seeking out what is being kept secret from me."

"Well I have always had the hope you might mature enough to have some sense of the needs of others. Including leaving private things private. Now Erik to get back to the matter in hand. Do I have your promise their will be no Punjabing, no boxing, no skulking or spying or anything else which might disrupt our evening tomorrow?"

"Will it ease your mind if I promise to be on my best behavior? I too wish to impress a woman. Remove that sour look from your face. It is not Christine. If it were it would be none of your business. It is Katherine and is still none of your business." Erik strode over to pour himself a drink. He tried to curb the other things he might have said as he wished to have Nadir's thoughts on the matter. Thoughts not colored with anger by Erik's arrogant retorts. So, Erik held in the rest of what he might have said. It was like swallowing down a noxious tonic, but it was one he willingly took down his gullet.

"Nadir please, sit." Erik waited until Nadir was seated then sat across from him before he continued. "I wish to have a serious conversation. I wish for you to tell me how you courted your wife."

If Erik had stated that Nadir's hair was on fire he could not have shocked Nadir more. Erik had never before cared to know how to do anything other than lure a woman to his bed. This attraction he had for Katherine was indeed different. This could not have pleased Nadir more. He had prayed for so long for Erik to find someone. He had begun to despair especially when Christine arrived on the scene. Perhaps Erik had begun to grow after all. Maybe what Erik had needed all these years was to see Christine one last time to compare the life he had now to what things had been like with her before.

Nadir and Erik spent a few hours deep in the ways women and men behave during the courting ritual. Nadir did not tell Erik of his own misstep in social etiquette when he kissed Meg. That was one of those things Nadir considered should be kept private.

Erik was not quite sure he was willing to wait so long for Katherine. Or be as circumspect as society required. If her kisses were any indication of her passion, Katherine would not be willing to wait either. If they were of like minds why should they wait? His body began to quake with those new tremors again whenever he thought of intimacies with Katherine or was in her presence. Perhaps he was coming down with some illness after all as Katherine was not within ten miles of Erik.

Once Nadir had left Erik alone ,his thoughts returned to the image of Katherine with a child. His child. He wished he could have seen the whole of the infant. Would a child of his share more than just his talents? Would a child inherit his face? That was a chance Erik was not willing to take as much as he might long for a child born from his seed.

If things progressed as he wished Erik hoped Katherine would be able to settle Erik alone. He could only hope he would be enough and she would not miss having children. He did not doubt that with a little persuasion on his part he could have Katherine willing to share more than just his bed.

Arrogant or not Erik could almost say with a certainty that Katherine Montgomery would soon be Mrs. Erik Fontaine. Erik repeated that name over and over. Yes, he did indeed like the sound of that.

Erik leaned his head back allowing his thoughts to wander where they may. It was a bit disconcerting that his mind kept returning to the image of Katherine with that child. Sighing deeply just before he drifted off to sleep Erik settle back with his head on the comfortable chair back. His smile would have given away his happy dreams if anyone had been there to observe him. He was alone with his pleasant dreams.

**A/N: Since a few of my reveiwers are going to be MIA this week vacationing, I am posting this now. I will be away for a few days myself starting Thurs. If I get a goodly amount of reviews I will post another chapter on Wed. night. The returning vacationers will have to lovely chapters waiting when they come home. As an aside it would be nice to hear from those who have put me on your favorites list. Come on and introduce yourself.**


	40. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty-nine**

**Wisps of Dreams**

On Katherine's estate she was in her nightgown sitting in the gazebo. She had been too restless to sleep. The night had called her out to seek its peaceful embrace. Once in a while Katherine missed seeing the stars as she fell asleep. In the warmer months she and Fawn had often slept outdoors just slightly away from their encampment. They had always known Lone Wolf was not far away.

Katherine sat with her cheek resting on her knee. Her arms hugged her legs as they wished to wrap around a male waist and hug him until he was breathless. She sighed contentedly, thinking about Erik and all that had happened tonight.

Katherine had been counting how many hours until she would see Erik again. The thought that they might continue what they had started tonight had her pulse rate doubling its normal rhythm. Her mouth turned down in disappointment when she remembered all the other guests as well as Erik's two male companions who lived with him. Well she would at least be able to exchange conversation with him. That was something that they had little opportunity to do so far in their acquaintance. Katherine found herself suddenly wishing to know every miniscule thing about another person. She knew quite a bit but not nearly enough.

Katherine heard the soft shuffle of feet on the path leading to the gazebo. It would seem she was not the only one to seek the night and its comfort. The footsteps were much too light to be any of the men on the estate. Their were distinctly two sets of feet walking along the pebbled pathway. Katherine knew it was Fawn and Dove even before Fawn spoke confirming Katherine's guess.

"Katherine, do you mind if we join you for a few minutes? We wish to speak with you for a few minutes. It is important. At least it is important to us," Fawn whispered.

"Of course I do not mind. What is on your minds?" Katherine scooted along the bench to make room. She tossed a pillow to each woman.

"Well...we have been discussing things. I...we...Fawn and I...well...we were wondering..." Dove finally halted her disjointed words. Her shy nature tied her tongue in knots. Strangely she had not seemed quite so shy when she was in the company of Darius the day of Katherine's gathering. His softly spoken words had encouraged her responses to his questions. For a woman who rarely spoke other than to Fawn, Katherine and Matthew she had been eager to converse with Darius.

"Dove we will be old women before you untangle your tongue. Katherine what we want to know is how things work in your world? We have feelings for two gentlemen. I do not suppose we need to mention any names. How should we make our feelings known?" Fawn waited with rapt attention for Katherine's reply.

"Oh I do think you should have probably asked Gamm about this. I am muddling along in my own quicksand trying to figure out what is proper and what is not. Things would be much simpler if we could just give in to our attractions. Can you keep a secret? Swear on the life of your future children?"

"Yes." Both girls immediately replied. They scooted closer to Katherine leaning their bodies forward so they did not miss one word.

"Well during the hayride Erik and I were...well...Well we became quite friendly. Then again at the theatre we kissed. Well really it was much more than a kiss. I think my spirit passed from my lips to his. Does it sound silly to think he has shared my soul with me? I felt for a moment as if we were one being." Katherine gave a blissful sigh just remembering how he had made her feel. Tonight in the carriage she had felt as if some fire had coursed through her body. Every nerve ending had been on alert. The hairs on her arms had risen much the same way that static electricity affected one on occasion. Little sparks and tingles, only Katherine's had been multiplied enormously.

"Then tonight Raoul took me to what we call a boxing match. Erik was there. He was one of the men in the ring. He was magnificent. You should have seen him. Well perhaps not, for the sake of our friendship. One look at him and I am quite sure all other men would fade into the wallpaper."

Katherine left the thought of all the things she would do to anyone who did make eyes at Erik unsaid. That she supposed was for the best.

"Later when I was sitting in the carriage waiting for Raoul, Erik came out and sat beside me. We…we kissed. Several times again. He made me feel things I am sure are not what proper ladies are allowed to feel. He made me want to do things." She wished she could tell them what rapture Erik had already given her but some things were just too private to share.

"Do things Katherine? What sort of things?" Dove asked in a teasing voice. She could not imagine what came after kisses. Well she could, sort of. She and the other two women had only ever speculated what came after the kisses. Lone Wolf would have tied them all to a pole had he known that White Eagle and Fawn discussed such things. White Dove had not been that friendly to White Eagle back then so she only heard second hand conversations from Fawn. White Dove had always eagerly awaited the days end when Fawn and White Eagle had a private powwow. As much as she longed to join them she had never thought she could ever accept a white woman as her friend and confidant.

"Well I think I would like to see what happens in the bushes after the kissing. I think I have already done a few of the things that lead to…well things that lead to the shedding of clothing." Katherine's face flamed with the confession but she meant it nonetheless. She wanted so much more.

"I am so glad to hear that you have feelings for Shadow Man. When I found out this evening you had gone with Raoul I must confess I thought of you without your beautiful hair more than once." Fawn giggled in relief having voiced her concerns and having them laid to rest. Her interest in what other things Katherine and Erik had done seemed far more important now that her fears concerning Raoul had been laid to rest.

"Well Fawn and I have confessions of our own. You first Fawn." Dove gently pushed against Fawn's shoulder in encouragement. She could wait to tell of her own exploits.

Fawn scooted in closer making herself more comfortable. "As you know I sat beside Raoul during the hayride. Is he not the most handsome man you have ever seen? Well we were talking when I had this overwhelming urge to kiss him. Once the thought entered my head to kiss him, everything else just sort of faded away, so I kissed him. Not quick or lightly. It was long and deep. For my first kiss I could not have wished for anything more perfect." She sighed happily. Just thinking about his lips warming hers raised the hair on her arms along with tightening her flesh into gooseflesh as Katherine called them. She longed to press her own lips against his again. Perhaps tomorrow she would get the chance. Just as Katherine had said Fawn too wanted to know what came after the kissing.

Fawn did not tell them how she had felt with her body so close to Raoul's. Nor did she tell them how she had shamelessly pressed herself into his hard muscled body. She had let her hand slid down over his strong chest but when her hand had encountered his belt she had snapped her hand back as if she had come into contact with a viper. She had desperately wanted to know if he was hard everywhere but alas her courage had deserted her.

"Yes Raoul is handsome but not nearly as impressive as Darius. Does Darius not have the most wonderful eyes? Need I mention how soothing his voice is? I found myself drowning in his eyes more than once. Let us not forget his wonderfully muscled body. He would be an amazing warrior. I am sure a woman wrapped in his arms would feel protected from the world. Before you ask I will tell you we did kiss. I had never thought a man's lips could be so soft or so warm. How is it possible to be so soft yet so hard at the same time?"

Dove blushed when she recalled how innocently her hand had strayed to a part of him that had been extremely hard, and quite large in her estimation. She had never seen that part of man but still he seemed quite impressive. Of course she had quickly removed her wayward hand as soon as her brain registered where it had come to rest. Darius had not said anything but the shifting he had done afterward led her to believe he had been quite uncomfortable.

In the darkness the others could not see Dove's dreamy look in her eyes but her voice contained all the emotion she had been feeling, all her pent up longings.

All three women sighed. Each had a certain man lingering in their minds. To each one the man who caught their eye was the perfect man the one man who had outshone all others. They spent the rest of their late night tête-à-tête comparing attributes as well as debating who had the most desirable traits. Each had their own particular choice. None could be swayed from who they had set their heart on. In the end they had to agree to disagree. Their final conclusion in the end, t-hey had three of the most desirable men known to mankind or at least their limited exposure to mankind.

Matthew was in his own bed grinning foolishly as he recalled Emily's bold kiss at the side of the house the day of the cookout then his own kisses he had given her later that night. He had relived that first kiss at the oddest times. Day and night it had come to tease and titillate him.

Emily was not the usual Southern Belle. She was opinionated, forthright, believed women equaled men and was a damn fine looking woman to boot. For the first time he thanked God he was part white. He had a mother who had family with a fine standing in society. She was wealthy. Hell he was wealthy. Long ago his mother had told him his grandfather had grudgingly bestowed a sizeable trust fund in his name. Perhaps now would be the time to claim something he had never wanted nor thought ever to need. With a woman on his horizon he had to show he could support her as well as any children they might have. It shocked him that he was already thinking in terms of permanence. That the object of his affections was a white woman astounded him even more. He knew from experience that it would not be easy but he did have the advantage of his mother's reputation as well as her long heritage behind him.

In recent weeks there had been raids on the towns of the freed slaves. Men in white garb, with hoods covering their heads, had burned the town. To finish off the horrible cowardly deed they had almost killed every man, woman and child. The attacks were becoming more frequent as well as more violent.

Matthew did not want to imagine what those same men would do to Fawn or White Dove. They might even punish Katherine for harboring them. So far no one had made any threats. Perhaps that was due more to the fact that they had not gone to town. Katherine had received a small taste of how cruel and intolerant people could be and she was one of them. Her skin was white. Her hair was light colored, her eyes sky blue. She had committed no crime to warrant their attack other than living among his people. That had not even been by her choice. Things would work out. They had to. He would not give up Emily before he even had the chance to see where their relationship might go. He would protect Fawn, White Dove as well as White Eagle with his life.

From what he had observed they had their own obstacles to surmount. It was not easy loving outside ones class or race. People were so bigoted and judgmental. Heaven help you if you did not meet what they considered acceptable. They were like sheep. One followed the other. They formed no opinions nor made any decisions based on anything other than what the masses had decided was to be accepted.

Monday they would be making the journey to release Raging Bear and Moon Shadow. Tomorrow he would see Emily at Erik's home. He could not let things go too far. He had to survive Monday then make it home in one piece. He would also be asking for the aid of Raoul, Erik, Nadir and Darius. That man Hayden that had been so close to Katherine in her childhood may offer his help but Matthew could not be sure what kind of man he was.

Matthew had his mind made up that Katherine would not be going with him. He also knew Katherine was set in her mind that she would be accompanying him on his quest. Short of tying her down he did not think he could prevent her from following him. This was one of those rare instances he wished he had not taught her the skills of tracking or at least she was not so damn good at the task.

He raised his arms placing his hands beneath his head. Tomorrow they would all be thrown together. With so much passion in the air sparks were bound to be shooting all over the place. He could only hope that no one got burned. Thinking of the different people who would be there he had to shake his head in disbelief. A more diverse group of people he could not imagine.

Matthew lay naked in his bed. Looking down he saw his manhood standing stiff and proudly hardened by his thoughts of Emily. Grabbing a sheet her threw it carelessly over the evidence of his arousal. Since Matthew had come into manhood he had sworn he would never be so desperate for a woman that he had to pleasure himself. There had always been women willing to sleep with him. All had wanted to share his teepee. He had dodged that particular commitment by using his need to find Fawn and White Eagle braves willing to take them off his hands. He did not mention the number of men he had sent packing with dire threats of retribution should they approach either woman without his blessing.

He wondered if Erik, Shadow Man would be at his usual spot tomorrow spying on Katherine. Perhaps Matthew would pay him a visit. He could ask for his help if he was at his usual place. He smiled when he imagined how shocked Shadow Man would be when he surprised him. The man thought no one knew he watched them. Matthew had known from the first day. Yes, a visit to the north side hill was in order.

**A/N: Well I didn't get as many reviews as I wanted but I think I'll post anyway. I hope it is an insintive that I am posting it a day earlier than I said I would. Please read and review. All anonymous reviewers welcomed. Heck if your dog can review let him click away. I'm desperate.**


	41. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

Night of Despair and Conclusions

In town Christine lay awake in her bed at the hotel. Things had gone as she had planned. She had found Erik. Raoul all but handed her over to him. That stung somewhat. Erik had given her the position she sought. Raoul was interested in someone else. Things were going exactly as she had wanted. Why now did she feel like crying as if there were no tomorrow? In fact she had barely had the thought when she felt the first tear sliding down to be followed by many others. What was wrong with her? She feared the answer to her question.

Christine had felt the dark forces creeping more and more lately. She could do nothing to stop them other than medicate herself as countless doctors had advised. The medicines left her listless and lethargic. She hated that feeling of total disconnection from everything. She could not say which was worse, not caring at all or having the paranoia and suicidal tendencies in control. If medicated at least she would not hurt herself or anyone else. She was selfish enough not to want to be able to do anything more than eat and sleep her days away.

Fortunately Raoul had never known of her visits to the doctors. She had taken great pains to keep this portion of her ailment from him. He had noticed her nervous distracted air at times as well as her melancholia. He had thought they were symptoms occurring due to all that business at the opera house. Christine had not disabused him. Meg knew all about her illness. She may not know precisely what the doctors diagnosed or what they recommended but Meg had been present during any number of Christine's episodes. In fact Christine remembered how Meg had stood guard over Christine's bed on numerous occasions.

Christine owed Meg more than she could ever repay. She cringed in shame as she recalled how her repayment had been represented thus far. Her neglect of Meg was just one more thing in Christine's life that would surely reserve a place for her in hell.

She had been reliving her mother's last days more and more. She was remembering things through the eyes of a child so some things would of course be distorted and twisted. The fact remained her mother had lived her life in confusion and disappointment. Nothing made her completely happy or even marginally so. Christine had begun to feel desperate. She could not help but compare herself to her mother. She felt as if she were at some point of crisis. One wrong move could lead her down the same path that had taken her mother. As much as she fought against those horrible ideas and notions some continued to take root. It took all her willpower at times for them not to grow to fruition.

Christine had to constantly ask Meg questions concerning her behavior. She feared in one of her moments when she drifted away she may attempt to harm Meg or herself or God forbid someone else and thus expose her ailment. Christine knew that people were institutionalized for less. Meg had always been so stoic taking Christine's odd behavior at times as just another facet of her character. On the surface at least Meg did not acknowledge Christine had any illness. Meg took it all in stride doing what had been necessary from the time when they were small to aid Christine in her deception. Christine had begged her not to tell anyone and Meg had kept her word all these many years.

Christine feared loneliness with a much greater intensity than death. For this reason alone she had decided to settle for Hayden if she lost both Erik and Raoul. She had promised herself she would make him happy. She would do whatever it took to make sure Hayden never for one moment learned that he had been third choice, not even second but third.

She should be happy now that things seemed to be going her way for once. She should feel ecstatic. She felt miserable. Tomorrow she would have to sit at a table eating food that would no doubt choke her. She would have to watch Raoul and Fawn gushing with sickening adoration. Why she had said yes when Nadir had asked her she had yet to come up with an answer that pleased her. It was obvious when she had joined him and Meg for lunch he did not want to invite her. Meg had more or less forced the issue.

Christine was just a bit upset that Erik had not issued her an invitation personally. After all she knew everyone who would be there. They were not strangers to her. Why had it not occurred to him to invite her himself? He had not been to see her either. Why did she feel she had made the worst mistake of her life?

Christine gave a forlorn, miserable cry then turned her face into the pillow so Meg would not hear her. She had asked Meg to share her suite with her as the thought of being alone had sounded much better when contemplating visits from Erik but being alone did not seem so alluring when one actually experienced being by oneself for any length of time.

Meg sat on the floor just outside Christine's room. She had brought her pillow and blanket just as she always had. Throughout their childhood Meg had always stayed close to Christine in case she needed her. At first it had been in the bed beside her. When they grew and the slender width of the bed would not accommodate them Meg had taken to sleeping on the floor bringing her pillow and blanket along with her. None of the other ballerinas had ever said a word as Meg had warned them they would be dismissed if one word leaked outside the dormitory.

Whether her mother could actually have carried out such a threat had never been tested as the young girls had been too afraid to test Meg's threat as to its veracity. Besides, they all liked Meg better than any other girl in the whole opera house. Christine they pitied as she had always projected such tragically mournful fits of tears for her dead father. Later the Opera Ghost had kept them at bay.

Meg sighed as she leaned against the wall beside Christine's door. Meg had a little concern about being able to get back on her feet in the morning. That task was much easier when she did not have a melon lying against the front of her stomach.

Thinking about her larger than life middle had Meg naturally considering how she would look through the eyes of another. Meg had one particular person in mind, Nadir.

She could not help the smile that tugged at her lips. Nadir had been most kind and courteous to Meg. He had not once seemed to mind the protrusion in front of her nor did he seem to take particular notice.

He had been quite bold in fact. Right there where anyone could see he had taken her hand. The way he had rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand had shivers racing to and fro throughout her body.

When she had wiggled to ease the ache in her back he had drawn her to lean into his side. The warmth of his body had almost made her groan with pleasure to feel the instant relief in her back. The heat of him had eased the muscles in her back as well. Nadir had felt better than any hot water bottle ever could. She had stupidly almost blurted out that he could warm her in her bed anytime. The words had been on their way out when she had caught them just in time nearly choking herself in the process.

Oh dear Lord, the memory of his hand rubbing gentle circles around her back nearly had her melting into the floor. Where had a man learned such things about women? He had known exactly how to ease her discomfort. He was a truly amazing man. Nadir was a man Meg would dearly love to know better. Tomorrow she would see him again. A dreamy look settled on her face when she recalled the one kiss Nadir had found the courage to give her just before they had returned from their circuit around Katherine's property. She had just made up her mind she would have to take matters into her own hands when she had suddenly found his hot lips molded against hers.

Meg's insides had nearly melted. She had shivered as if cold. As the kiss had deepened Meg had wondered how she could be both feeling as if a furnace had lit her insides yet be shivering as if chilled with ice.

There had been so many contrasts in that kiss and in the man and woman. Hardness had met softness. There had been heat along with the cold. His tongue had driven her crazy with newly awakened desires. Hers had been tentative. His hands had smoothed over her skin in soft caresses while she had clutched at his shirt as if she were afraid she might float away without him to anchor her down. Indeed she recalled she had been lightheaded. Meg wished to experience every single one of those confusing sensations once more.

Hours passed while Christine's door stayed firmly closed. The horrendous sobs had subsided to little muffled sniffles. Meg would have gone in to comfort Christine but had found early on that unless Christine went straying from her bed the best thing to do was to leave her to work through whatever misery gripped her at the time. Meg had trained herself over the years to be alerted to any sounds of Christine leaving her bed. If she heard the slightest rustle Meg would enter Christine's bedroom. If Christine called for Meg she had always been close at hand if needed. Finally Meg felt she could relax. Christine would not be going walking about tonight.

She had only just begun to relax when Meg sat up straight as a poker. Tomorrow she would see Nadir again. Good Lord she had nothing to wear. Not one thing came to mind that she considered would make her the alluring goddess she wished to be. Well it would be hard to look alluring when one had to waddle along like a duck. Meg slumped back. That settled it. She was not going. She would stay all alone in the hotel suite eating chocolate cake until, well until whatever happened when one consumed large quantities of chocolate cake.

Meg closed her eyes. Blindly she reached to the side of her for her pillow. Putting it behind her head she wondered if Nadir liked violet. Violet did seem to make her eyes do amazing things such as seeming to change color with different angles of lighting. There was that lovely violet dress Raoul had insisted she buy. Yes the violet would do quite nicely.

**A/N: Another short offering I fear. I will post again in a day or two to compensate. Read, enjoy, review. **


	42. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-one**

**Reflections**

Erik woke feeling stiff. The chiming of the clock had woken him from a deep sleep. He could not recall his dreams but the pleasant feeling permeating throughout his body suggested that Katherine had been featured among them he could be certain.

For a moment he could not get his bearings in his sleep fogged mind. Noticing his surroundings he surmised he had fallen asleep in his chair. That did not occur often; then again he could not recall ever having done so before. Erik considered this just one more indication of how comfortable he had become over the last few years. Erik would never have taken the chance that his mask might become dislodged or even worse, fallen off as he slept, only a few short months ago. Perhaps he could walk about without his mask entirely? On gaining more of his senses he decided perhaps not entirely but perhaps around his own home and when in Katherine's presence he could forgo the mask.

He would ponder on this a bit more. This early hour of the morning did not lead one to make any proper decisions.

The fact that all of his dreams had been so unremarkable, as in not nightmares, he could not remember any of them proved again how his life had changed for the better. It had been quite some time since Erik had suffered from any of his old nightmares. He rarely dreamed about anything from his past anymore. He could not even recall the last time he had a pleasant dream about Christine or in fact dreamed of her at all. Why had it not occurred to him before that he had not once dreamed of Christine since they had been reunited? He had tried during those first few weeks to use images of Christine to oust Katherine without success. Katherine on the other hand seemed to have taken up permanent residence inside his conscious mind along with his subconscious mind. Reflecting on the dreams he could remember, he could honestly say he did not mind Katherine being inside his head. Thoughts of loving her did not make him feel the same way he had with Christine. With Christine he had been jealous and possessive to the point he had been willing to kill anyone who stood in his way.

He could feel jealous of Katherine as her gift to Nadir and his own violent reaction had proved. He had reacted without taking things too far. No one died or had been injured. That had to be proof of some progress.

Momentarily he thought about Darius' anger earlier this evening. Glancing at the clock he amended that to last night. Darius had shown his anger twice now. On both occasions the anger had been directed toward Erik. Erik could not help but think a third transgression would end in some sort of violent action being taken. Violence directed toward himself in particular, if that display last night was any indication.

Conceding that some of his actions of late had not been very impressive in showing manners or gentlemanly qualities, Erik concluded if he wanted to impress Katherine he would have to swallow any remaining dislike for Raoul or whatever the hell that remaining niggle he had toward Raoul was. What he felt now in no way compared to how he had thought of Raoul in the past. Just a short time ago he would gladly have choked the life from Raoul without any pesky conscience encumbrances. Erik had to admit he had been sorely lacking in a conscience for too many years. Only within the last year or so had he acquired one. Damn thing reared its ugly head at the most awkward times. His new found conscience had cost him to lose money on a few deals he had made. Well not lost actual money but he had been prevented from being as shrewd and hard as he would otherwise have been so he therefore made less money.

If luck were on his side Erik hoped that after the dinner not one person could doubt where his intentions lie. He wanted it to be known clearly that Katherine would be his focus where any romantic demonstrations were concerned. He had to concede that he had given Christine false hope by responding to her advances. If he could take his actions back he would gladly do so. He had no wish to hurt Christine but had no desire to continue with any intimate relationship.

Erik smiled when he thought that he might as well admit that Katherine owned him lock, stock and barrel. It was obvious how deeply Katherine affected him. Everything he had done lately had been done with her on his mind. Many things had been done to impress her. That good woman refused to be impressed or even acknowledge his financial feats.

He thought it safe to say he had indeed impressed her with his skills as a lover. Erik had been taught many things by many different women. That information he would keep under wraps. No need to upset the apple cart with past indiscretions. He had many but would bet his soul Katherine had none.

Christine no longer had a grip on his heart nor his affections. Erik had begun to wonder if she ever truly had been all that he had imagined her to be. Recently he had thought that perhaps he had convinced himself there was more there between them than there had actually been. The whole of their association had been based on music, lust and not much else. Christine's response to his caresses had seemed to indicate that she had been attracted to him. Her recent behavior and admissions proved that much. Erik had definitely been attracted to Christine. He could not lie because he still felt that pull of attraction. One he had no intention of pursuing.

He did not feel the need to pursue her nor did he have any wish to bed her. He was a normal man and had normal reactions to beautiful women. Since meeting Katherine he had not wished to chase every woman he saw who had a tempting wiggle in her bustle.

It was not that he did not notice those women anymore. He did notice he just did not give hot pursuit taking the one he snared into his bed. Katherine he wanted to run to ground then toss her over his shoulder as he carried her off so he might have his wicked way with her.

The clock chiming again reminded him that he needed to climb up the stairs in order to go to bed. He had already sat here in idle contemplation for an hour. The sooner he got to bed the sooner he returned to dreaming about his lady love. Erik practically ran all the way up those stairs and down the hall. He was eager for once to enter the land of dreams.

Stripping down he decided that donning his sleeping attire would waste precious minutes, Erik went to bed bare naked. Being naked and utterly prepared physically to join with a woman Erik felt somewhat disgruntled not to have the woman he most desired in his bed at this moment. He certainly hoped that before he experienced many of these frustrating nights he could convince Katherine to allow him some relief. He would not go beyond a certain point but there were so many other ways to find one's pleasure. If he had not known he would be seeing Katherine tomorrow and perhaps being allowed to seek relief by her hand Erik would have resorted to pleasuring himself. Since his confidence in the success of tomorrow night's dinner as well as what would perhaps occur later he could await his pleasure. Anticipation would make the eventual act all the sweeter.

In Erik's home a restless night was in store for more than one occupant. Another in Erik's home found it hard to find sleep. Darius could not get the lovely Dove to leave his thoughts for more than a few minutes at a time. In the last three years Darius had not had a woman to ease his passions. He felt it would be unfair to embroil a woman in the mess that was Erik's life.

Darius felt no sense of shame for having displayed so much of his anger earlier. Erik had always been somewhat oblivious of the feelings and emotions of others. His upbringing and later life had not been conducive to such things.

Erik had only ever had one person he felt any responsibility to protect or assure any happiness. Erik had only ever thought of Erik, until Christine. Things having been as they were nothing could be blamed on Erik as to regarding his selfish behavior. Darius had thought it time Erik should be made aware just how selfish he had been. Learning about his behavior while he had been in the theatre earlier had alarmed Darius. The more he had contemplated the matter the angrier he had become. He had come to the conclusion there was no chance in hell that he would allow Erik to jeopardize his chances with Dove.

The threats Darius had made in a fit of anger came about when Darius had learned about Erik's behavior in the theatre earlier in the day. Nadir had regretted mentioning it at all when he had seen the thunderclouds circling over Darius.

Nadir had recalled only one time he had ever seen Darius truly lose his temper. It had not been a pretty sight. No, not pretty at all, Nadir concluded. Nadir had proceeded to try to cajole Darius out of his mood but when his passions were involved he could not be reasoned with. Nadir had let him rant standing by lest he begin to take his ire out on the innocent furnishings. In the end Nadir had wisely led Darius to the garden where he could run amok hacking away at some troublesome weeds in the garden until such time as he could confront the object of his anger, Erik. The physical labor had not cooled his anger but it had kept everything else in the household from becoming so much rubbish.

Darius was thirty-three years old. Long past the age when men of his country began families. Since being thrust into different cultures he had found some of his beliefs changing over the years. One was having more than one woman as his wife. Observing different couples over the years he had seen many different forms of marriage. Some lived with infidelity as easily as owning more than one fine mare or stallion. When a marriage was truly blessed with an abiding love it was a beautiful thing, almost spiritual. That was what he wanted. He wanted one woman to share every part of him while he received every part of her.

He felt now was the time to start pursuing what he wanted. Erik was somewhat civilized. He had not had an episode of uncontrollable rage in perhaps a year. Darius had been thinking about making the effort to find someone. He had just not taken any steps in that direction yet. No woman had caught his eye. Then he had laid eyes on Dove. He had looked into her eyes and knew. His whole being had felt as if lit by a thousand candles.

He knew he had to court her as society dictated. In his mind a suitable courtship was perhaps a few months. Well perhaps two at the most. Yes, he could wait two months for her. Maybe if he took ice cold baths for the duration of the courtship he could hold off his inclination to throw her over his shoulder, taking her to a room and locking the door to keep the world at bay until he had satisfied every urge he had denied himself the last three years. He had a lot of passion simmering just under the surface. His internal volcano was about to erupt. Perhaps he could last one month of courtship maybe, then again, maybe not.

Nadir lay in his bed feeling somewhat reassured about the forthcoming evening. He had extracted Erik's promise that he would be on his best behavior. Erik had never broken one promise that he had made to Nadir, other than Erik's helping hand leading to the demise of Joseph Buquet. The promise never to kill again unless bodily harm was imminent had been broken. One might give the argument that Joseph had courted death as he spied on Erik and chased him about the upper flies trying to capture The Phantom. Yes it was a valid argument which supported Nadir's belief that Erik had never really ever broken a promise made to him. He had not sought out that Buquet man. That man had chased after Erik trying to run him to ground.

Leaving thoughts of Erik, gratefully Nadir's mind wandered willingly to Meg. He sighed deeply in pleasure just picturing her lovely face. He stretched his hand out imagining he felt her soft skin under his hand as she lay beside him. The silky sheet felt just as her skin on her face had felt against the palms of his hand. Nadir found his patience to have her beside him perhaps would not allow him to wait more than a few short weeks before asking for her hand officially. In any case he would be declaring his intentions to Meg.

He hoped Antoinette would arrive soon. He would prefer to speak with her before he made any definitive declarations to Meg. Of course he would have to make his intentions known to Meg but any actual declarations or questions concerning an eventual ceremony would have to await the arrival of Meg's mother. Nadir wondered if he should perhaps speak with Roberto first as he now was Meg's father by proxy, then he would speak with Antoinette. Perhaps he should just speak to the both of them together. What was the proper etiquette in such matters?

Nadir felt that for once there were only wonderful things ahead for everyone. He did not know how wrong his assumptions were. Things would take a nasty turn soon enough threatening the life of one and the sanity of another.

**A/N: Oh me oh my. Such dire predictions. Please review. Hey I just snuck back in to say if I get one more review I'll go ahead and post the next chapter tonight. How's that for insentive?**


	43. Chapter 42

**A/N: So here is the promised next chapter.**

**Chapter Forty-two**

**We've Decided, Decided **

Erik lay flat on the hill with his binoculars pressed firmly to his eyes. Every day for the last few weeks he had ridden out here to lay flat observing his quarry. Just because he and Katherine had become somewhat close last night he saw no reason to change his routine. She never came to the office in the early morning. He had learned that she watched Matthew train the horses most mornings. So far this morning he had not seen Matthew or Katherine.

In the first days of his observance he assured himself he was only observing her as he had the people of the opera house. If one wanted to learn something one must observe. If he enjoyed looking at his chosen quarry so what. He was a man after all as he had proven over and over many times in the last three years. He was not an eunuch. He was no longer content to be celibate. It had been months since he had satisfied himself with a woman. It was beginning to show in his short fused temper.

Nadir had become so disgusted with his attitude he had even gone so far to offer to pay for him to visit one of his haunts with the soul purpose of procuring a willing woman. If things worked out he would have no need for any other woman. Indeed he felt a little chagrined to find he felt no desire for any other. What remaining desire he had for Christine faded into memory when he had kissed Katherine with such passion last night. When she had returned his ardor he had almost lost what little control he had. She was like a match to tinder Erik being the tinder. For a moment last night he had thought for certain they had caught fire. He knew he had felt burned by her touch.

Matthew found Erik's horse tethered to a small branch of a tree. Silently he climbed the hill. At the top he saw Erik laying flat on his stomach with field glasses to his eyes. If Katherine knew he watched her he could only guess what form her displeasure would take. Although in light of the events of the last few days perhaps she would be flattered.

Standing tall Matthew made sure he stood where his shadow would not been seen by Erik. When Matthew spoke, he almost laughed aloud at Erik's shock.

"Shadow Man." Matthew spoke anticipating Erik's surprised outburst.

Erik rolled over pulling the knife from his waist band as he rolled over. He had a split second to recall the order his mind had given his hand to throw the blade into the man's chest. Erik placed the knife back into its sheath. Sitting up he began to curse fluently in many languages finally settling on English.

"Son of a bitch. Damnation, I almost killed you. I thought I was quiet when I moved. God damned shadow makes more noise than you do."

Erik looked around for a horse. He knew damn well he would have heard a horse. He was getting older but he was not yet deaf. Erik wondered how the hell Matthew had managed to get so close to him without hearing him approach. It stung his pride just the tiniest bit. Perhaps he had lost not only the Phantom's murderous tendencies but his skills as well.

"Where is your horse? I did not hear a single thing. Why did you sneak up on me?" Erik could not keep the slight irritation out of his voice at being bested.

"I did not sneak. Not really. If I had not wanted you to notice me I would have slipped up behind you then cut your throat and as a trophy removed your hair before you knew I was even close to you. I just thought to give you a small surprise not take your life. I did not need a horse for the short walk to this hill. I had no intention of going anywhere but here."

Matthew looked around then trained his eyes down toward all the buildings that were scattered around the valley. As far as the eye could see this all belonged to Katherine. Matthew knew why Erik came here every day but he asked the question anyway, "Why do you watch us every day from this same spot? No need to deny it. I have observed you many times. Indeed the first time I thought you might be one of those white hooded devils coming to spy on us. You were an inch away from death when I discovered who you were. So tell me. Do you have a real interest in Katherine or is she just another woman you wish to lure to your bed?"

"I do not see that this is any of your business unless you have an interest yourself." To voice his suspicions aloud had jealousy churning around in his stomach causing a nauseous feeling to take hold. He barely restrained himself from jumping up then forcing the breath from the man. Katherine was his woman. It did not cross his mind he had made no such formal declaration. Katherine was free to see whomever she pleased. Erik saw things differently. She was his. Ring or no ring she belonged to him just as he belonged to her. How his mind came to that conclusion so quickly with such assurance he did not care. He only knew it to be the truth.

Matthew drew himself up to the full extent of his somewhat intimidating stature. He crossed his arms in a peaceful declaration while his eyes shot silent deadly warnings to Erik from his dark eyes. "Oh Shadow Man I have every right. We are not blood but in every other way we are family. She is my sister. If you hurt her you hurt me. To hurt either of us will end in your death. If you proceed in your pursuit I will not stand in your way. Katherine has the right to choose. Make no mistake that if you hurt her in the process you will die in the most painful lingering way I know. Be sure you want her for always before you take her for one night."

Giving Erik no chance to reply even if he could have found words Matthew left Erik sitting there to contemplate what he said. Erik felt ruffled by the threat. He allowed no one to threaten him anymore. Before his anger could get a full head of steam, his saner senses prevailed. If the situations were reversed would he not make the same threat? Perhaps he might even have acted without words of warning? Erik only had to think for a moment. He was sure, more sure of his feelings than he had ever been about anything in his life. For once in his miserable life he felt something for someone who returned his regard. For a brief moment he thought of Susan. He reached into his vest pocket. His fingers found the feather he always carried.

As always when he handled it he felt wrapped in warmth. Warmth that started at his center then radiated outward. Sometimes he wished he had loved Susan. She would have been good for him. He would have made her life hell back then. He was not ready for any woman's love at that time. Not even Christine's. He had had too many demons to conquer. He still had a few but as time passed his unease grew less. He felt more connected to the world. Placing the feather back in his pocket he walked back down to retrieve his horse. He had things he needed to get done. There were guests coming to his home. One in particular held special importance.

After leaving his vigil at Katherine's Erik had tried to work a few hours in his office. He accomplished nothing. Erik had come home early. He could not stand one moment more confined in that walled in prison of his office. He felt the need to begin his preparations for the evening. Long before he needed to begin he had stripped down to his waist so he could shave. Looking in the mirror his eye caught the glinting of light as it hit the ring hanging from a chain around his neck.

He stood looking at that ring with his razor poised in his hand. Dropping his hand he placed the razor on the side of the sink. He picked up the hand towel then wiped the lather from his face.

Lifting the chain from his neck he went out into his bedroom. Sitting on the side of his bed he allowed his memories to freely come to him. Every moment he had spent with Christine played out in his head. All the joy he had ever experienced with her as well as the pain washed over him like a cascading waterfall. He had needed her all those years ago. He had needed to have someone to give his affections to as well as receive a return of those tender feelings in some small measure. Christine had given him a purpose other than being a ghost to terrorize. She had given him a taste of humanity as it should be.

He could see now how his innocent care for the child had taken on dark possessive tendencies as his insanity took control of him. Once he had seen her as more than just an instrument for his music he should have pulled away from her for both their sakes. Christine had not been ready for someone like him. His dark nature would have swallowed her whole dousing every bit of light that shown in her. He had not been what she needed. Truthfully he could now see she had not been what he needed either. Yes he had needed her company, her companionship. He would have killed her spirit if she had chosen him. By killing her vibrancy he would have been killing himself in the process. Fate had decreed that they should be no more than a comfort in a time when both needed such tenderness.

Perhaps at that time no woman could have survived him. Hell he had barely survived himself. Without Nadir and Darius he would not have been able to carry on. He could see now that Christine had used him. Perhaps not knowingly but she had taken all he offered without any qualms. He even suspected she had in the back of her mind known he was not an angel but a man. She had been immature and childlike in nature but still she had to suspect something. What sort of angel would give expensive gifts to a child then later to her as a young woman?

Erik could feel the relinquishing residual feelings for Christine shifting. He had no wish to possess her any longer. All that remained was an affection mingled with gratitude for her coming into his life when he had nothing. She had given him a true purpose. One he had warped over time in his desperation to have someone love him. He sighed in relief as he realized that finally he had released Christine's hold on him. He would always care for her. That would never change. She was a bittersweet memory he would cherish always.

He hoped Christine could let go of him as he had let go of her. He had his burdens to bear. Any feelings she may have for him were her burdens to bear not his. He had made his final peace with his past. He was ready to pursue his future. A future he hoped would include Katherine.

He went to his dresser. Sitting on his dresser was a box where he kept his cufflinks and various other small items. Opening the lid of the small box he placed the ring inside. He closed the lid closing the door to his past.

Erik had spent an unusual amount of time fussing over his appearance. He felt perhaps he had looked in the mirror more times and much longer than required by a man. In truth Erik had always taken pains with his appearance. A man with his face had to compensate in other areas. He felt his clothing along with his gentlemanly manner somewhat made up for lack of good looks. There had been women who had reassured him he was quite handsome. Since they had one hand in his pocket as he took them to bed he dismissed them as useless words trying to pry more from his pocket. Susan had been the one who had almost made him believe he was not entirely disgusting.

He would not have been so concerned with his own primping if he could have observed Nadir and Darius rushing around making their own preparations. Two men who usually gave the impression of calm assurance suddenly lost all direction.

Nadir could not find his shoes. Nadir found his shoes then found he had lost his belt. His belt had grown legs it would seem then traveled somewhere other than in his room's ample wardrobe.

Darius had misplaced his cufflinks. His hair that normally lay flat seemed to have a mind of its own flying about sticking straight in the air. He must have combed it twenty times before deciding to wet the whole mess starting over. Finally Darius mastered the troublesome hair issue. He tamed its wild disarray. Julia found his cufflinks that had somehow found thier way back into his drawer.

Darius looked in the mirror in disgust. Of all nights he could have nicked himself shaving; it would be tonight when he wanted to look his best. Now he looked as if he had fought a wildcat and lost. That's what happens when you start a task latter than you should. Darius discounted the fact that he had been fussing over his appearance for the better part of two hours. Usually he could complete his toilette within half an hour, start to finish.

Nadir found the wayward belt only to discover he must have mislaid his tie somewhere. He had stopped wearing the cumbersome cravats upon discovering ties in America. Now the damn thing was being elusive.

Erik's new housekeeper, Julia had been a Godsend. They had practically run that dear woman ragged with shouts concerning lost items. She had run from room to room solving one mystery at a time. With Julia's help they eventually were ready to greet their guests with calm efficiency. A calm that melted as the seconds ticked off by the overly loud ticking of the grandfather clock. Erik did not remember it being quite so loud. Perhaps he should have a look at it tomorrow. He glared at the offending time piece. Were the hands not moving extremely slower than they should? He went to stand before it while glaring at it as if that would encourage the hands to move more quickly.

He grew aggravated when the stubborn hands continued to creep along the clock face in a most irritating manner. Erik left his clock watching vigil to take a position in front of the fireplace where he removed his pocket watch from his vest pocket at least ten times in ten minutes. He put the watch to his ear to make sure he could hear the ticking. His watch was running no better than the grandfather clock. His timepieces it seemed were going to betray him just when he needed them.

Growing frustrated with that occupation he paced about the room unknowingly following in Nadir and Darius' footsteps. Julia slipped past the doorway just to observe all the pacing about. The musical chairs had been amusing as well she thought to herself as she set some canapés on silver serving trays. Erik sure had it bad for some woman and as far as Julia could tell from what gossip she had heard it had indeed not been that French tart soprano either, thanks to the good Lord above. In her anger toward an as yet unknown woman Julia smashed the olive just a little too hard onto the top of the little sliver of cheese that would have graced one of her little triangles of fresh baked bread. Shrugging she popped it into her mouth. What that woman had done to such a sweet man like Erik had been criminal in Julia's estimation. For two bits she'd take the woman into the garden and give her what for. If rumor were to be believed the young woman Erik had his eye on would no doubt have her own method for punishing those who would poach on her preserves.

The crafty, pleased smile that crossed her lips reflected her inner satisfaction that it seemed that Erik had at last met his match. Katherine sounded as if she would be the perfect compliment to Erik's own character in every way.

Julia had made it her business to find out all she could about her benefactor. She was not ever going to place herself or her daughter in danger ever again. Servants have the best information as well as the most reliable information. A few shared cups or coffee with a little slice of cake or pie went a long way to releasing one's inhibitions about speaking about private matters of one's employers.

Julia had learned plenty. Some gave her pause at first to trust this man but considering how he had led his life the past three years and what he had done for her and Marianne, Julia felt Erik had earned her loyalty and trust. He could ask almost anything of her and she would not hesitate to serve him. She knew he would never take advantage of her nor Marianne. He had proved that once already. Julia felt a lifetime would not be enough to repay Erik for all he had done. He had given her a new life. Without Erik her daughter would have had no life at all.

Another bonus had been meeting that rascal Ox. What a name for a man. Grinning stupidly she thought _**"What a man period"**_.

It had been a good number of years since Julia had contemplated enjoying the company of a man. Her husband, may he burn in hell, had left her with very little dreams or illusions. Erik had brought those girlish dreams of happiness back to life. Not in any way had his approach been romantic. She and Marianne were both of the opinion that the man might just be able to walk on water.

Julia's regard for Erik had been the main reason she had gone far beyond what her duty called upon her to perform. All these little extras were for Erik in the hopes that he would give a very favorable impression to a certain young woman who as far as Julia knew did not have a musical bone in her body.

Who needed an instrument or song when the body was humming a love tune of its own?

**Review**** and save an authoress from insanity. One review insures one day of sanity. Give freely to this worthy cause. You are just a click away from earning your very own(virtual) angel's wings. **


	44. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-Three**

**Night of Nerves**

The three men in Erik's home could not seem to find a place to stay put for more than a few seconds. On top of everything else that had been happening Erik had received a telegram from Antoinette informing him she and her husband had set foot on American soil late yesterday. They intended to travel by train to Virginia from New York. Antoinette was unwell from traveling by boat. She needed a day or two on dry land to recuperate. She had been ill every day of the voyage. They would send another telegram to inform them when they would be arriving in Richmond.

Earlier in the week Erik had been surprised in his office by Julia and Marianne O'Reilly. Mrs. Hancock had told them about his assistant's recent desertion. Considering he had only written about it a few days ago they must have boarded the train that same day. They had insisted that Marianne would work in his office while Julia helped in the house. Erik had been complaining for months he could not find an acceptable housekeeper.

Marianne had learned how to use the new machines called typewriters. She was quite good. She had even improved her reading skills. She had also learned shorthand so that taking notes during meetings or dictation was made easier. How could he turn down such generous offers? Especially when he was in need of the services they offered.

For Erik it had seemed to be a positive situation. At first he had been concerned about Marianne having residual feelings of hero worship for him. He did not need nor want a young woman chasing after him just at this time. A month ago perhaps he would have welcomed her attention. To his delight mingled with a slight bit of disappointment she had informed him she had a young man who was away studying at Harvard. He was studying to be a lawyer.

Having dispensed any tiresome worries he had shown Marianne around the office. Katherine had not come by today and neither had Hayden. If Erik did not have the memory of her kiss on his lips he would have been suspicious of both of them being absent at the same time. In his old less secure countenance infidelity, marching just a step ahead of betrayal, would have been his first accusation. The way she had kissed him last night had left no doubt in his mind she found him somewhat attractive.

Now here he was jumping about his home as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room filled with rockers. Nadir and Darius were fairing no better. They sat then shot out of their seats to pace for a few minutes only to retake their seat then the whole process began again. The three of them were pathetic. Erik included himself as he had made his own circuit of the room several times. He had also joined in the game of musical chairs.

Both Nadir and Darius had reminded him to be a true gentleman. He had wanted to take umbrage at their assumption that he would do anything to cause a disruption. Remembering Raoul and Christine would be present he swallowed his objections to their statements as the last two meetings with Raoul had not gone well. Darius made his words sound more a threat than a request. Then to add insult to injury Darius had hung the misshapen poker in pride of place over his fireplace like some damn piece of precious artwork. He had removed Erik's Renoir that had hung there since he purchased the house. For a man who had been quite docile over the years Darius was displaying some potentially violent tendencies. These violent tendencies seemed to be directed toward Erik specifically.

If they were this agitated now when the women were actually in the room Erik wondered what insanity would overtake them. Clearly they had lost all calm collected thinking. The air fairly crackled with nervous tension. They were like young inexperienced men waiting to escort their young ladies to their first dance. The coolly confident men they had been were hidden underneath these three poor bumbling fools wearing holes in his carpets.

The front door bell giving an overloud clang stopped their pacing. Suddenly hands started brushing already smooth clothing then smoothing hands over hair. Each wanted to ask if they looked alright but held their tongues. It would be unmanly to make such an inquiry of another man. They faced the doorway. Julia came into view smiling while shaking her head. She had never seen grown men behave in such a manner. "I'll get the door Erik. Should I show your guests in here or would you like to sit in the parlor that faces the garden? With the doors open there might be a bit of a breeze."

"Yes I think the parlor is an excellent idea." As soon as Julia left the room the three headed en mass for the door. Darius and Erik were stuck shoulder to shoulder as they glared at each other neither willing to give way. They played shoulder tug of war until Nadir pulled both of them out of his way walking through the door past their stunned faces. He smirked just a bit. Age did have its advantages. The five years that separated them sometimes seemed like many decades when dealing with Erik's temperament.

"Gentlemen if you please?" Nadir motioned for them to follow him. With quick steps they made their way to the parlor all but running by the time they reached the parlor door. They wanted to present a cool confident facade even if inside they were quaking with nervous tension. The evening had begun.

Raoul and Katherine had ridden in together. They had stopped by the hotel to pick up Christine and Meg. Katherine would almost have rather walked than ride with Christine but it was after all only for about fifteen minutes. Surely Katherine could control her baser instincts for that short a period. Surely she could. Glancing at Christine's perfectly pinned hair, immaculately pressed dress and silvery little slippers Katherine had to refrain from shoving Christine out the door with her foot pressed to Christine's backside as Raoul had aided her inside the carriage. The mischievous smile Katherine ducked her head to hide belied Katherine's outer serenity. Perhaps she may fail to behave after all. The night was still young.

Matthew had driven one of Katherine's buggies with Fawn and Dove by his side. He had worried for a little while about Katherine and Christine being in the same carriage but Meg would be there. Her calm soothing nature would perhaps keep the other two women from doing anything improper. Katherine would not want to put any stress on Meg in her present condition.

As luck would have it Matthew pulled up in front of Erik's home just as Raoul was helping Meg down from the buggy. Katherine and Christine were already standing on the sidewalk. Hayden had picked Emily up on his way past her home. They had pulled in front of Erik's home just seconds ahead of the others. It would seem everyone was most anxious to start the evening. None had seen fit to play the usual game of being fashionably late. They were on Erik's doorstep at the precise appointed time.

They were all ushered in by a very pleasant looking woman. Julia showed the quests into the room where the three men were standing casually about as if unconcerned about anything. Their outward facade hid the nervous jitters going on in their stomachs.

For the first fifteen minutes hardly a word was spoken. Even Emily who usually felt comfortable in any situation seemed to have lost her ability to come up with any intelligent conversation. No one wanted to be the first to speak. There was a lot of clearing of throats by the men as well as much shifting from foot to foot. The women sat looking with their gazes trained on the object of their desires. They were content to silently admire the men. This was an opportunity not afforded women in the public eye.

The fact that the men were even sitting here with them was unusual. A brief greeting then they should have gathered en mass to leave the little women to speak of womanly matters. Womanly occupations, such as sewing, poetry, children or the accomplishments of their husband or beau should have been discussed. That was what was customary and expected. The men stayed showing no inclination to leave.

Hayden took it upon himself to speak. He had no idea of the complicated relationships of all these unusual people. He knew they were acquainted for some duration of time but not in what capacity. Katherine's story he knew somewhat better. Of course he knew Emily. The others were recently made acquaintances. One in particular he wished to become quite close to as time passed. His gaze targeted Christine.

"Congratulations Christine on your success joining the theatre troupe. I must say I was very impressed. I am looking forward to opening night. And you Erik are to be congratulated as well. I hear the new opera is one of your own. I was pleased as well as surprised to hear that you changed the language it would be presented in from Italian to English. That is quite a bold move. For my own pleasure I am pleased as my Italian is almost nonexistent." He hoped his remarks broke the ice so to speak so that everyone was encouraged to add to the conversation.

"Thank you Hayden. It is kind of you to take notice of my humble offering to the stage." Christine batted her eyelashes just the tiniest bit. Raoul was standing guard over that Fawn woman. Erik had not so much as uttered more than a cursory greeting. To have Hayden's attention was a balm to her pride. He was rich and very handsome in a boyish sort of way. He reminded her of how Raoul was when he had first come back into her life. He did not have Erik's dangerous appeal or Raoul's debonair flair. At least he was showing her some attention which was more than she could say for either of the other two gentlemen.

Katherine barely held back the unladylike snort that wanted to escape her mouth. _**Humble offering? Who was she trying to fool? Christine had all but told Meg that she thought Erik would guarantee her the part. Katherine had lost track of the number of times Christine had regaled them with her success at the opera house in Paris as well as how well she was received by her public. Her public? She had a small loyal following but was practically unknown here in the States. **_

Conversation did pick up after that. Dinner was announced. Erik made sure he offered his arm to Katherine before anyone else could reach her if they had been of a mind to offer her such service which, from the looks of things, they were not.

Nadir sat down next to Meg at the table with visions in his head of this same wonderful thing happening over many years. Perhaps with more than just the one child joining them at the table? He had long ago given up becoming interested in anyone in a romantic way. Keeping watch over Erik did not leave one a lot of spare time. He had spent too many years of his life with only a servant and a lunatic for company. He wished to have a woman to warm his bed. He was getting on in years. He was thirty-eight years old. He was still young enough to have a family. He did not have time for all the usual hoopla that went into courting. Besides he wanted Meg's child to have his name. He wanted the child to know him as his or her father. He only had a little over three months. Maybe he should enlist Antoinette into his cause when she arrived. She would either welcome him as a son-in-law or have Erik dispose of him for daring to touch her daughter. Well the touching so far had only been a kiss, a toe curling, fire stoking kiss, but only that. He was hoping for more, much more. His well had gone dry for years. Now he felt as if a flood was imminent.

During dinner as conversation began to flow Erik found Katherine's hand under the table where it lay in her lap. At first her back stiffened. With her gaze focused straight ahead her eyes widened in surprise. Gradually she relaxed as a small secret smile spread across her mouth. She squeezed his hand gently then removed it from his hand to place her open palm on his thigh. It was Erik's turn to sit with his back stiffened. For his part there was no possibility of relaxing. Erik was stiff as a board from head to toe particularly that part of him that throbbed with the need to bury himself deeply in her warmth.

Everyone made it through dinner without any blood being spilled. Nadir considered that a triumph considering Erik and Raoul were at the same table with only a few feet separating them. After dinner the men retired to the study to indulge in brandy and smoking. Matthew wasted no time putting forth his request for aid.

"I am glad to have you all here without the women although, most of them know what I am going to speak with you about. A few days ago Captain Andrew Richards came to Katherine's to inform us that our village had been attacked. Over half our people were slaughtered. The ones who did not escape are now in holding pens waiting to be transported by train to Florida. As you can imagine, the long journey by rail will be deadly with so many people packed into that small space without food and very little water if any. Andrew has come to care for one of the women of my people. He does not wish for her to leave taking the chance of her dying or being separated forever."

"What I tell you now I must ask you to keep private. I am entrusting our lives to your discretion. If you cannot agree to help me I will ask that you at least tell no one of our discussion."

He waited until he had received an assent before continuing.

"What we have planned is rescuing Raging Bear and Moon Shadow. I will be going to the fort leaving in the early afternoon on Sunday. I will travel all night. I will be camping a few miles from the fort. On Monday night I will then go to release Raging Bear and Moon Shadow. Andrew is taking care of the guards by placing a sleeping concoction in their coffee."

"I will not have but a few minutes before the guards at the gate will be making their rounds once the effects of the drug wear off. Andrew dare not give them enough to make then lose consciousness. Grogginess is the best he can do. It is not unusual for those on night duty to dose, especially the new recruits they have now. I cannot tie the horses up as they need to be ready to run as soon as we reach them. Too much time would be wasted untying them. Time I cannot spare. What I need is someone to go with me. Katherine wants to go with me but I would rather not take the risk to her life being with me would cause her. If something should go wrong I do not want her hurt in any way."

"I will go." Erik calmly stated. He eyed the tip of the glowing cigar he had yet to take one taste of as his thoughts were elsewhere. Matthew did not want Katherine to go. Erik had a hunch nothing short of tying her to a post would keep her from going with them. Since he was sure Katherine would be going there was no way in hell Erik would stay behind.

"I would be honored." That was Raoul volunteering. For Fawn he could manage to ride beside Erik. Besides he had no real reason to feel any lingering animosity. Any residual anger had left him some time ago. The thrashing of his ego still stung as much as ever. It may always be so.

"I do not claim to be a man of muscle but I am adequate to hold horses." Nadir had no illusions about his physical abilities. He was a strong viral man but compared to the others he was not even in the same category. In a duel with swords or pistols he was assured of victory. Intellectually he could win against all except perhaps Erik. He had never had the need for any hand to hand combat. He was not a weak man just an unskilled one.

"For Dove's father I would risk my life." Darius wanted to be the one to reunite Dove with her father. It would afford him the opportunity to speak frankly of his intentions. He had a certain amount of wealth. Nothing compared to Erik's but enough so that he could give a wife and children a comfortable life without any financial worries.

"I am not a man of violence in any way but I am quite proficient with a handgun or rifle." Hayden had no real stake in this fight but he felt as the only remaining man he was honor bound to volunteer. Perhaps this was a chance to impress Christine in some small way.

Matthew had not expected such instant offers of aid. His opinion of them all increased a thousand fold. In this time it was not accepted to befriend an Indian. To help one escape capture was a hanging offence assuming one made it to jail to await a trial. They risked everything they held dear if they committed to this mission.

It was decided that Nadir and Hayden would travel to Andrew's ancestral home to make sure everything was ready at that end. Andrew's mother would know what to do. A letter of introduction could be given to them so the woman would know they could be trusted. The others would go with Matthew to aid in the escape.

They made arrangements to meet early Sunday morning at Katherine's. They could all meet there to say their good-byes. They could leave in the late afternoon. If they rode all night they would be within a few miles of the fort by daylight. Then they would just need to wait for darkness.

As they left the study to rejoin the men Matthew asked Raoul and Erik to stay behind for one moment. Waiting for the others to leave Mathew closed the door behind them. Turning to the other two men his voice held a warning as he spoke, "If you commit to this I must ask that you leave any animosity or differences behind. There is no margin for error. Everything must go precisely as planned or we will fail losing the lives of everyone. If you cannot work as one please do not come. We would be better off short handed than have two rivals tearing each other apart."

Erik and Raoul looked at one another. Neither wanted to admit they held no real ill will any longer. It seemed foolish to have hated each other all these years because of a woman that had not been good for either of them. Their mutual hate had been such a driving force in their lives for so long. To relinquish it so suddenly was to admit to the folly of uselessly carrying it for so long. The competitive edge was still firmly wedged between them but nothing more. Christine no longer held them in her power. Neither was willing to give their life for the return of her affections. They had both broken free of the chains that had shackled them to duel over a woman who perhaps did not deserve such devotion.

Neither man would utter the words they felt. Pride held their tongues stilling any voice they may have given to their changed circumstances. Matthew disgusted with the both of them turned leaving the room angrily. He saw with his own eyes they both had developed feelings for others. Neither man wanted Christine any longer. Which for Raoul's sake Matthew hoped would be permanent or he would be dealing with extreme prejudice against Raoul. It had been many moons since Matthew had used the methods of torture his tribe used to gain information from captured soldiers or from those traitorous scouts that worked with the Whiteman against his people. If Raoul proved to be unworthy Matthew would be looking for the nearest anthill.

In Matthew's mind Raoul and Erik were no more than little boys daring the other to cross the line drawn in the school yard. Each daring the other to go that one step further, daring them to take the step that would carry them across the line.

Both wanted to be top dog of the pack. Why could they not see they had the chance to begin a new pack? Both could have what they wanted. He would just wait to see if either man showed up in the end. If they killed each other that might present a small inconvenience.

**Please review, recview, review. My chapters are cheap. I will settle for four reviews per chapter before I post.**


	45. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty-four

**Chapter Forty-four**

**Passion's Play **

Matthew, Darius and Nadir and Hayden rejoined the women in the parlor. As quickly as they entered one by one they left again. Taking a woman companion along with them. Matrons across the state of Virginia would have their brows raised to their hairline in shock. Many would faint at such outrageous behavior. If they could have been privy to what took place later smelling salts would not have revived the weaker constitutioned matrons. A few would have secretly shouted a **"well done".**

Upon re-entering the parlor Matthew made his way to Emily. Taking her hand he pulled her to her feet pulling her along behind him out the patio. She made no protests. She shot a smiling glance over her shoulder toward a baffled Katherine. As Katherine watched her brother tug Emily behind him she began to smile. She exchanged knowing looks with the other two women present. She ignored Christine as if she were a speck of unwelcome dust that kept returning no matter how many times one brushed it away.

Matthew had little time to convince Emily she was his woman. Matthew was quite shocked he did not need to convince her at all. Emily allowed him to guide her into the darkness of the garden just out of sight of the others before she dug her heels in pulling back on his hand. Feeling her resistance he stopped then turned toward her.

"What is...?" That was as far as he got before Emily wrapped her arms around him placing her lips on his. It took him a few seconds to recover from his surprise. Once his shock dissipated he returned her kiss wholeheartedly. Groaning deep in his throat he pulled her so tightly against him her feet left the ground. Sliding her back to her feet, he reluctantly released her lips.

"I have no wish to compromise you Emily. I would like nothing better than to drag you into the farthest corner of the garden..." Again Emily asserted herself.

"Well why don't you? Pooh on compromising. Who is here that would spread a word? Besides I have a mind of my own. I can make decisions for myself. I do not adhere to what others think is proper or scandalous. Half the things I do breaks some rule of etiquette. My friends have come to expect it as well as accept it. The rest are of no concern of mine."

Looking around with interest she asked," Which corner most appeals to you? I am open. As long as we are there together I will let you decide."

Matthew led her to a corner of the garden where a trellis arched over a bench. Climbing roses were working their way upward on either side of the trellis. Sitting Emily down he sat beside her. Questions were asked in between long lingering kisses. If an occasional forbidden caress should occur who was there to complain or expose the deed?

Matthew and Emily had left a group of women sitting in silent wonder. They sighed. It was so romantic. Meg eyed Nadir. Her eyes widened as she met his somewhat heated expression. She glanced away fearing her own wants were coloring what she was seeing. He stood clearing his throat so he could speak, "Mrs. Giry would you care to join me in a walk around the gardens? The roses are just blooming. The fragrance is most enjoyable."

Roses or their fragrance was the last thing on his mind. All evening his mind had replayed that kiss they had shared. Proper or not he was taking her out just as Matthew had done with Emily. After all, his intentions were honorable. Well for the most part. If he could persuade her to indulge in a bit of exploration who was he to deny himself or her? He had been without such attentions for too long a time. Damn it even Erik had been with a woman since he had. Many women truth be told. Nadir missed those tender brushes of hands on skin. The intimate caresses while speaking nonsense to one another. He wanted that with every fiber of his being. He was far too old to play games. The next woman he took to his bed would be his future wife, Meg Giry.

Meg stood with the help of Nadir's hand. She smiled shyly at him as she said, "Please just plain Meg. Any one who is close to me calls me Meg."

"Then it shall be so. I would like nothing better than to be...close to you." His pause in his sentence left no doubt as to his meaning. He hoped for acceptance he expected a slap. Her smile nearly stopped his heart. Offering her his arm he proudly escorted her from the room. Damn what anyone thought of them going off alone. He had a feeling no one present would mind. He had a hunch everyone had their own agenda. He wished to further his cause with Meg.

Meg thought for sure she must be reading what she wanted into his words. What man could want her? Even if she was not large with child she was no longer untouched. She was unclean.

Escorting Meg in the opposite direction Matthew and Emily had taken Nadir guided Meg down the path through the fragrant roses. Coming to a small gazebo he helped her up the two steps then led her to a seat with cushions. Suddenly with the moment before him he lost his ability to speak. A sudden dryness in his mouth prevented him from swallowing.

Once seated, Nadir had the urge to jump to his feet again. Such an action would cause her to suspect the stability of

his mentality. Was it proper to hold her hand? Probably not. Was he sitting to close if his hip touched hers? More than likely. Was it frowned upon to declare your intentions at only the third meeting? Definitely it was. If he put his arm across the back of the bench allowing his fingertips to brush her shoulder would that be considered too bold? More than likely it would. Nadir gave not one damn for any of that. He had his mind set on his course of action and damn what society decreed proper or circumspect.

Turning to Meg Nadir stated with calm assurance, "Meg I know our acquaintance is of short duration. I am a man who sees what he wants then sets about how to achieve getting it. I want you Meg. I am developing feelings for you. It has been many years since any woman has drawn my attention. My plans over the next month or two are to allow you to get to know me while sorting through your own feelings. My immediate plans, in the next few seconds are to kiss you soundly. If you have any objections now would be the time to express them. I will not hold it against you if you do not feel the same. I mean I know I am much older. I may not be the most handsome..."

Meg interrupted him to gain his attention. "Nadir?"

"Yes Meg?" Here it is. The rejection. What made him think such a vibrant young woman would even consider him as anything other than a friend? That shared kiss was something his mind added more significance to than it warranted. Dear Allah help me. I have made a colossal fool of myself.

"You talk too much. Perhaps I should give you a reason not to talk quite so much." Meg scooted closer to him. Wrapping one hand on either side of his face she placed her lips on his. At first she only placed her lips softly against his. When he groaned pulling her to him for a much deeper mating of mouths the waves of sensation ricocheting from one part of her body to another stole her breath.

Slowly separating neither could look away from the other. Meg's senses were returning. What was in her head? Why would he want a woman who was unmarried due to deliver a child in a few months? She would be having someone else's child without benefit of marriage. What exactly had he said? She had been so focused on his eyes she had only heard the part about kissing her. She had misunderstood him. He simply wanted...no it had not been a proposal for friendship. He must think...well he must know she had...her thought processes screeched to a halt. Damn it, she was not a loose woman. Although, two of the three meetings between them would prove differently Meg was an innocent when it came to intimacies.

"Nadir I am not a loose woman. I...I do not...I have never...Just because you...I ...we...that does not mean I am an easy woman." Finally she was able to expel the jumbled words out into a somewhat coherent speech.

Nadir grabbed her hands bringing them to his lips. "Dearest Meg I am at fault for not making my intentions more clear. I would never suggest anything less than marriage between us. That is my intention. Perhaps you are of a different mind?"

Quickly before she woke up or he changed his mind Meg said, "No, no. I too feel something, everything that you feel. I have never...despite being with child, I have never loved anyone. I was...when I was in Paris... Something happened. I have never been married."

Gently Nadir squeezed Meg's hand to let her know he was not shocked nor was he disgusted with anything she had done. It was after all through no fault of her own that she had been viciously attacked. "Meg, I know. We need not speak of it. If you ever feel the need I will listen. For me there is no need. Who you are is what matters not what mean spirited things others have done to you. You Meg are a wonderfully sweet woman, a woman who has awoken my heart with tenderness. Now so there are no mistakes, no misunderstandings, I am going to kiss you because I want you yes, but also because I do believe sweet Meg I have fallen in love with you. I will not rush anything beyond a kiss." He leaned in kissing her softly. Passion built slowly igniting those flames consuming all reason. Two hearts met joining together for a lasting love.

Whispered conversation could be heard interspersed with moments of silence. How fitting they were among the red roses of love and passion.

After Nadir had left Darius felt perhaps Nadir had the right idea. A stroll in the warm night would be most welcome. Darius stood clearing his throat to say, "Dove if it would please you I would like to escort you to the stable. A new foal has been born only last night. I thought you might like to see it as your brother has such an interest in horses." No one mentioned that it would have been more prudent to invite Matthew to the stables than Dove. No one seemed to find a flaw in his actions. Or if they did they were unwilling to point it out.

Excusing herself politely Dove curled her hand around the arm Darius offered. She gave an experimental squeeze. He was every bit as hard as she thought he would be. It would take both of her hands to encircle his upper arm. Even then she doubted her fingers would touch.

Darius was trying to decide his best approach to achieve the results he sought. Dove's arm rested on his arm sending signals to all parts of his body that a beautiful woman was beside him touching him with her soft skin. With each step it seemed as if more of his body came alive. The air crackled with tension. Darius expected to see sparks shooting through the dark night at any moment.

Darius had not had time in the last three years to focus on his own life much. It had taken both Nadir and himself to corral and curtail Erik's more aggressive tendencies. The man was a walking self-destruction unit. It had taken Erik the better part of the last three years to accept that despite what he or anyone else thought he was only a man. Not a ghost or phantom. He was most certainly not an un-infallible man. Erik had more faults than most. Many had been forced upon him due to his circumstances. It was for that reason alone Darius had been willing to devote himself to the task of helping Nadir with his longtime friend in the beginning at least. It hadn't taken him long to develop a genuine regard for Erik. Some might wonder how he could overlook Erik's many transgressions. The answer was simple yet complicated.

Darius had for whatever reason been given the gift to see future events. It was nothing he could control or bring forth at will. Whatever being gave him the gift also controlled it. Darius had seen into Erik's future years ago. Nothing that was clear or definitive. He had been given the vision of Erik with a woman. He could not see her clearly. She was just a shadow. Perhaps the distortion of her features meant that the future had not yet been decided. Erik had two paths he could take. When he chose his path the vision may become clearer. Darius had vowed he would stay and make sure Erik found his true future happiness. Not that shadow of what could be.

Darius had also seen Erik in a dream standing poised in the fork of a road. He wavered between the right and left. The left path was dark and sinister. Pure evil swirled calling to him with seductive allure. That darkness invited him into its sinister embrace. Many voices could be heard whispering promises of dreams that had never been realized. Once entering that path Erik would be lost forever. The right path of the road shown with a blinding light, if one was ready to see it. Quiet tranquility prevailed. No voices sounded out to entice him. This was a path he had never set foot on in his life. Just as he went to step toward the familiar darkness a soft alluring voice beckoned him from the light. Warm waves of love encircled Erik. The darkness added more voices to drown out the soft loving voice coming from the light. Erik looked longingly at the path glimmering so brightly. No one had ever called to him from that path of light. The dark path was always alive with sound.

After that dream Darius had made his decision to add his voice to the path of light. Nadir had been there already. The softer voice was the woman of Erik's future. Erik needed more voices added to the path leading to the light. Each new person he encountered that Erik counted as a friend added a voice.

Many would scoff if they were to hear what Darius dreamed. When he was younger he had dismissed his gift. Maturity had given him a different outlook. He had learned to heed what his dreams showed him. He could not control what was shown him in his dreams. Seeking information for profit or gain was not the purpose of his gift. His gift was to tip the scales just the tiniest bit toward the good in all of us.

Seeing the bench at the side of the walkway Darius guided Dove over sweeping his hand toward the bench inviting her to sit. Taking a deep breath he wondered how to start this conversation. Nothing about their acquaintance had been proper as of yet. Sitting here in the dark with only sparsely spaced lanterns for light certainly was not an acceptable thing to do. Darius rubbed the nervous sweat from the palms of his hands on his thighs. That nervous gesture would be repeated during the evening by different individuals. This was a night of nerves. Decisions needed to be made. Intentions would be declared.

"Dove I am a man of few words. I will come directly to the point. I have been thinking. Truthfully I have done nothing but think over the last few days. I wish to make my intensions clear. I seek your approval to come call for you. I believe it is called courting. In my country we do not court. There is no need. The one we are to marry is chosen in most cases at the time of our birth. On occasion a birth is planned just so such a betrothal can be made. We also have the tradition of having more than one wife." Feeling her stiffen he spoke hurriedly to assure her he had no such beliefs any longer.

"I no longer hold those beliefs. I have come to believe one man was made for each woman. The same is true for women. That perfect mate is not always found. Many settle for what comes close to that most sacred joining of two halves of a soul made to fit making one soul. When I saw you I knew you were my other half. When I am with you I feel as if nothing in the world is important other than the two of us. I want to join my life with yours. I know this is sudden. Many would call me a romantic fool. If I am a fool I shall be the most insanely happy fool if you tell me you feel the same way." Throughout his speech Darius had been afraid to take more than quick little inhalations of air. Now he sucked in a lungful of air in relief. He had made it through the whole thing without stumbling over his words. His hands were shaking so bad one could be forgiven for thinking him ill. Every muscle in his body was starting to stiffen in anticipation.

Shyly Dove spoke with her head down. Darius had to lean his head toward her to hear her speak. What he heard filled his heart with such joy.

"I feel the same. I too have felt we were meant to be. What you felt is what was beating in my heart. I do not find you foolish. I do find you romantic. There is not one other person I would rather spend time with than you. With you I do not feel too shy to speak. At times I feel there is no need for words between us. If you are a fool then call me a fool too. I think I love you."

"You think you love me?" That was not exactly what he would have liked to hear.

"I have said something wrong? Please forgive me. I love you. I...love...you." Dove emphasized those three precious words with kisses. For a moment she had thought she had lost his regard. A silly stupid addition of an unneeded word had almost been her downfall. Now all was right with the world.

Many kisses later they simply sat holding each other exchanging tidbits of their lives before they had met. Future plans were also discussed in depth. Kisses were shared during short pauses in the conversation. Darius had waited so long for this moment. This woman. He could wait until they were joined in marriage for anything more. Their betrothal would be very short indeed. Well he had not actually asked that question but he was sure it was on the horizon. As soon as all this rescue business was finished he would court Dove for perhaps a few weeks then ask her that life altering question. For his part, if society was not such a stickler for propriety he would forgo all that nonsense and skip to the part where he and Dove were able to be together always.

Erik and Raoul returned where they discovered many of the party had gone to seek other entertainment. Christine stood expectantly at the entrance of Erik and Raoul. Neither Raoul nor Erik approached or seemed to notice her. Her cheeks burned with mortification. Sitting abruptly she hoped no one noticed she had been snubbed so emphatically by the two men she admired the most. Two men who held equal parts of her heart. She was grateful when Hayden spoke to her. Giving him a closer look she decided he was quite an attractive man. Unlike some he did not ignore her presence. In fact he seemed to be somewhat taken with her if his expression was any indication. Perhaps she should cultivate his acquaintance. A woman alone in a country not her own needed someone to guide her. She needed some man to offer her his hand. At this moment she was in desperate need of that hand. She felt more alone than she ever had in her life.

She was glad Madame would be coming soon. Christine felt she needed her surrogate mother more now than ever with all the confusion she was experiencing lately. Madame had always known what to do. Meg needed her also. Christine vowed that for once she would stand aside to let Meg have as much of her mother's time as she needed. Since Meg had been living with her and Raoul, Christine had come to admit she had often taken more of Madame's time than she should have. Christine was ashamed to remember she had simply cried or carried on to draw Madame's attention.

Antoinette. She must remember she was to call her Antoinette. Christine was no longer a child. She was a grown woman. Her days of tantrums to gain attention were over although at this moment she was very close to wanting to resort to a grand old fashioned tantrum. Lord the fits she used to throw at the drop of a hat. She should feel shame or remorse. She did. Well perhaps only a little for her fits had gotten her way over Meg's many times. Antoinette and Meg both had sacrificed what they wanted to appease her during one of her infamous tantrums.

An uncomfortable air hung around the remaining six people in the parlor. It was plain to everyone what would more than likely be taking place in the gardens between the other couples beyond the eyes of any observers. Passion's scent would permeate the rose scented gardens tonight.

Erik looked balefully around at his guests who remained in the room. Erik wished he could oust them all. Shuck them down some whole. He knew he should have installed that pit he had wanted to construct just under the back porch. He claimed it would have only been used for storing fruits and vegetable but perhaps Nadir had known Erik had not completely left his Phantom tendencies for revenge behind him at that time. The blasted pit would have made a grand holding cell for Raoul. Glancing at the other occupants he had to admit that still left a few too many people. People he would not harm in any way.

Damn it he had planned to show Katherine his garden. Now it was crawling with people. Perhaps he should sell tickets. He had a particularly lovely spot in the center of the maze. Perhaps he should change his plans. The center of the maze was looking less appealing as everyone seemed to be heading outdoors.

Erik could have embraced Hayden in gratitude when he spoke up addressing Christine.

"Christine has Erik shown you his music room? I was quite impressed when I first saw it. A truly grand room. The acoustics are perfect. Erik, would you mind if I showed Christine your marvelous music room? That is I hope it is still the music room. I have not been here since the previous owners lived here. I do not know what renovations or changes you may have made."

Ah Erik thought, this was looking better and better. He mentally rubbed his hands together. Now if he could find a way to rid himself of the boy and Fawn his evening could be salvaged. "Of course I do not mind. Christine, feel free to sing if you wish. Nothing too strenuous though. We would not wish you to strain your voice before your first practice." Erik had restrain himself from shoving them out the door.

"May I Christine?" Hayden held his arm out toward Christine.

Looking from Erik to Raoul she began to protest, "But I...we...Perhaps we should ask the others to join us." She had prayed one of them would ask her to walk in the garden. They had not so much as looked in her direction. Christine was in a panic. What would she do if she lost them both? It simply was not fair. She should at least be allowed one of them. Both men held a piece of her heart. Perhaps that was Christine's mistake. She gave her heart in pieces. Never giving her whole heart to her lover could only end in the lovers losing their way. Fate had given her two chances for that one great love of all time. She had failed in each attempt. Perhaps it was a flaw in her that kept her from offering all of herself to anyone. Some unknown risk she was not willing to take. For whatever reason both loves were slowly but surely slipping away.

Katherine slid an under browed look in Erik's direction. If the man did not do something soon she was going to begin to think the evening before had been a figment of her imagination. If she had imagined it then her imagination had certainly improved in the last few months.

Erik thought quickly how he could get out of this without seeming to snub anyone or cause any suspicions toward himself or Katherine. His brilliance once again saved him. Although it nearly choked him he said, "As much as I would love to join you so that I may once again hear your lovely voice I must refuse. I would be very remiss to leave my remaining guests without at least one of their hosts being present."

Sadly Christine cast a last lingering glance over her shoulder as she let Hayden guide her out of the parlor. That look of longing was much the same glance she had cast back at Erik as Raoul had rowed her away in the boat to safety after Erik had bid them to leave him in his underground home.

Once in Erik's music room Hayden sat at the piano bench. He patted the seat beside him as he instructed her to sit. "Come Christine. Sit beside me. It would please me if you would sing something for me."

Truthfully he did not care if she sang or spoke. The mere fact that she was present gave him pleasure. He had already told his mother about Christine. She had not been pleased about the fact that she was already married even if she were planning on a divorce. Not many divorces were known about in her circle of friends. Divorce meant scandal.

Hayden was not sure of the connection between Christine and Erik but he did remember a story that had fuelled gossip hounds for months a few years ago. He planned to make it his business to find out all he could. One of his uncles owned the largest publishing house in Richmond. That included a major newspaper. It should not prove too difficult to dig up all he wanted to know. Christine was married to Raoul but they did not seem as if they were a loving or even a dedicated couple.

This was not where Christine had planned to be this evening. If her plans had come to fruition she had planned on Erik spending time with her inviting her to return when everyone else had gone home. Raoul seemed to be so preoccupied lately. He was polite but nothing more than that. Fear gripped her in a stranglehold.

In desperation to feel some sort of comfort Christine made no objections when Hayden kissed her. To her surprise she found she wanted to kiss him back. Soon it was more than mere kisses.

Afterward as Christine rearranged her mussed clothing and patted her hair into place her regrets began to eat away at her. Christine could not imagine what had possessed her. She was not in love with Hayden. She liked him. Dear God she seemed to make things worse with each decision she made. She had just shared intimacies with a man she hardly knew. The fact that it was the home of a man she wished to share those same intimacies with shamed her. Her shoulders felt as if they were being forced down by a tremendous burden. Raoul, dear God Raoul could have come in, anyone could have entered at any time. Raoul obviously would not as he had seemed quite happily occupied by that squaw woman. Even though he had to be somewhere close by it may as well have been a thousand miles for all the thought he had given to Christine.

Christine did not wish to hurt Hayden. Giving in to her need for comfort had not been the brightest thing she had ever done. Now Hayden would think she cared more for him than she actually did. What sort of woman gave herself to a man to ease her fears and loneliness? A whore at least received monetary compensation. Christine passed her favors for free to any man willing to make her forget how utterly alone she felt when she started to realize she may have lost her Angel and her husband as well. Free did not actually describe what payment had or had not been given. Christine gave a piece of her soul along with a great deal of self respect with each man she used to replace the men she truly wanted. Everything was one big muddled mess. At least for her it seemed to be. She was cursed with a self destructive nature.

Hayden for his part could not be happier. The evening that had started out filled with tension had ended with easing his own tensions a somewhat. Christine's as well. He hoped to repeat this evening many times. His mind raced with the possibilities of what the future may hold. Christine already held his heart firmly in her hands. Now he must convince her to put hers into his hands for safekeeping.

**A/N: Say someone mentioned in a pm that my story doesn't show up on the front page list whenever I post a new chapter. Will someone please check for me? Perpaps that is why I don't get the readers or reveiws I did at first. I never have been able to see it listed on my end when I click to the list. I just thought it was a way to keep people from clicking on to run up their numbers on their own stories. **

**A/N 2: When posting this last chapter I decided it was just too long for one chapter even if it is all in the same night happening simultaneously. I hope breaking it up doesn't take away from the enjoyment. Let me know what you think. Review. **


	46. Chapter 45

**Chapter Forty-Five**

**Passion's Play Part II **

Katherine and Fawn exchanged a glance. Each silently asking the other what they should do now that they were here with men they wanted to spend some time alone with. Katherine mouthed silently "Ask him" while motioning with her head in Raoul's direction. Fawn glanced at Raoul then Erik giving her head a quick shake. She was not so confident now that the moment was upon her to take some sort of action. When it had just been the three women in the gazebo with darkness lending her bravery she had boldly declared she would not leave Erik's home without taking a moonlight stroll with Raoul. Now she had too many butterflies taking wing in her stomach.

Fawn mouthed back "Ask Erik". Katherine had told the other two women how she felt about Erik. She had even confided she thought he felt the same. Or at least as long as Christine was not around she felt she held his attention. She was not completely confident of her place yet in this white world she had come back to or her place in Erik's in particular. She regained a bit more confidence with each passing day but there were always people ready to test her. Her father was the worst. His continuous barrage of remarks concerning a woman in business along with his continued attitude toward her had left her feeling somewhat disheartened. Erik, well while Erik's censure had been maddening it had been challenging as well. She had begun to secretly enjoy their exchanges.

"Katherine..." Erik suddenly speaking her name seeming to be overloud in the silence of the room startled Katherine so much she jumped slightly in surprise. Her face heated as the blood worked its way into her cheeks. She lowered her head hoping to hide the telltale tide of pink flushing her cheeks.

"Yes?" Was that pitiful squeak coming from her? Clearing her throat she asked a bit louder forcing a little more strength into her voice, "Yes Erik?"

Now that he had her attention he floundered. He had been looking at her wondering how he could accomplish disposing of the other two people in the room when his voice took on a mind of its own. Now what was he to say? Inspiration suddenly hit him.

"I have some rough drawings for the new marquee posters. If you would not mind I would like to have your opinion. If we make a decision we can have them delivered to the printers tomorrow. I am sure Fawn and Raoul would not mind excusing us for a few minutes." Erik had no intention of returning for quite some time if things went the way he planned. He glared in Raoul's direction daring him to make one word of objection. If he still carried his Punjab he would have brandished it in a threatening manner. He was sure the dear boy remembered the last time he had it around his neck.

Raoul returned Erik's rather fierce stare with one of confusion. What had he done to earn such a fierce glare? As far as he was concerned the evening had gone quite well. He and Erik had not so much as exchanged a cross word. There had been that tense few minutes in Erik's study. Only a few hard looks had been exchanged. No blood had been spilled. No verbal threats were expressed. He could not imagine how the complexities of Erik's mind worked. Perhaps the best action to take would be to pretend blissful ignorance. Besides, with Erik and Katherine out of the room the only other occupant would be Fawn. Who was he to argue with fate? For once he was not going to over think this gift from the gods. He would just enjoy whatever time he had with her. Perhaps soon he should speak with Christine about starting the proceedings to end their marriage. He felt now was a good time to go forward.

Looking at Fawn, willing her to meet his gaze Raoul stated, "Of course not Erik. Take your time. I shall use this time to get better acquainted with Fawn. Go on Katherine. I know that in business sometimes a minute can make a difference between success and failure. Fawn and I shall wait right here for your return. We shall be fine." More than fine he thought as his lips tingled as his eyes fastened on Fawn's tongue wetting her lips. _**Oh God yes please leave,**_ Raoul begged silently.

Once Katherine stood to her feet Erik put his hand on Katherine's elbow guiding her a little too quickly out of the room and down the hall toward his study. She had to practically run just to keep up with his long strides. His hand had moved down to grasp hers as he tugged her behind him.

Katherine giggled in nervous anticipation. She hoped his impatience was to be alone with her and not to discuss some business decision. She need not have worried. As soon as the door closed behind them Erik pulled her against him kissing her roughly with all the passion that had been building up over the evening. When she kissed him back with equal passion he sighed in relief. He had not been aware he held his breath waiting for her to respond with her lips or a slap across the face.

Turning her away from the door he did not release her lips. He walked her backwards until the back of her knees hit the comfortable couch. He gently pushed her backward following with his lips still devouring hers. Bending his body as she went back he followed her to lie beside her. Stretching out beside her he traced her neck with his lips. Feathering kisses over the exposed skin of her neck and lower to the flesh showing just above the neckline of her dress.

Katherine needed to touch him. Placing her hands on his face she began to kiss him with the same fervor he kissed her. When her lips met the hardness of the mask she hesitated. She had seen him during his fight without it. She would rather kiss his face but she would not ask him to do anything that would make him uncomfortable. He had another side of his face she could adorn with her kisses. Erik had so many places Katherine wished to explore with her hands as well as her lips.

She did not care if others thought her wicked for letting him touch her let alone kiss her. To deny him would be to deny herself of something she wanted with her whole being. She could not understand how she could have come to care for him so quickly. She did not care. Gamm had told her in love there was sometimes no rhyme or reason. It simply was. Not that Katherine had come right out and told Gamm about how she felt for Erik. She had asked the question in general terms. At least she hoped Gamm did not know. Fawn and Dove had known before they had even talked to her. Did everyone know? Did she really care? No. They would all soon know anyway. She had no intention of hiding how she felt about Erik. Well perhaps the intimate part would not be shared.

Pulling back from him Katherine dared to ask for what she had been dreaming of since the night of their intimate encounter, "Erik? Would you ...could we...I want...Could we do what we did on the night of the hayride?" She spit the words out in a rush with her eyes closed. If she looked at him her courage would desert her. She was aware that she should not be doing any of the things with Erik that she had been doing lately. She could not bring herself to care enough to stop.

"Oh God yes!" Erik did not even have to think about his impassioned reply. He wanted with every fiber in his body to give her that experience once more as well as have her give him the same pleasure. It seemed she was all he could think of lately. When he was awake she was in his thoughts. When he slept she followed him into his dreams.

Just as he was lowering his mouth to hers she pushed against his shoulder. He leaned back doubt filling his eyes. Had she changed her mind? He closed his eyes trying to control that part of him that urged him to take what he wanted and damn the consequences.

No. If she had changed her mind he would honor her decision. When she came to him it would be because she wanted him. Not because he had forced her or persuaded her to go against what she wanted. Tucking his face into the hollow of her neck he tried to regain control of his senses. Just when he thought he might be able to walk out of the room with a modicum of dignity he heard words whispered in his ear that shocked him then sent him into a whirlwind of emotions. All his senses were on full alert ready for the command to commence with the pleasure.

"Erik. This time I want us both to have...to be together. I want to give you the same pleasure you gave me. I have never...you will have to show me how. I do not know what to do. Show me what you want. Please Erik now. I need you now." Later Katherine might wonder how she found the courage to utter those words to him. Her body was clamoring for things she barely understood. Demanding some release of the tension she did not comprehend. All she knew was Erik made her body hum in a rhythm never experienced with anyone else. He made her feel things she had no desire to share with anyone else.

Erik kissed her softly along her jaw line down over her neck to the neckline of her dress covering her breasts. As he kissed her she began to shove his jacket from his shoulders. He impatiently shrugged the unwanted garment away from him. Clothing he had worn with pride earlier now was only irritating obstacles. Unbuttoning the front of her dress he encountered the silky material of her chemise. Untying the ribbons holding it together he drew the material apart. Expecting to encounter the stiff material of a corset underneath he was a bit surprised to find a garment that clung to her breasts. The garment did not seem to be as constricting as the corset nor did it go all the way to her waist. The garment pushed her breasts proudly up toward his feasting eyes. Beneath that was silky soft golden skin. Not the creamy white that was considered fashionable by society for women of leisure and wealth. Kartherine had the same brown coloring the poorer women had that spent too much time unprotected in the sun. That newly revealed garment just covering her lovely skin he left closed for the moment.

"You do not wear all the layers of other women. Your corset is missing." He did not mind in the least. He thought them an intrusion during intimacy as well as being damn uncomfortable for the women forced to wear them. This new garment was somewhat enticing. Erik began to imagine them in an array of colors especially his own personal favorite, black. With lace. Perhaps made of black lace. That thought stirred his blood.

"I do not like them. I never wear one. How do you know about women's intimate undergarments?" Katherine could not keep the hint of jealousy from her voice. If Erik had known the dangerous door he opened with his comments he would have swallowed his tongue before uttering them. Hoping to distract her from a discussion he had no wish to have with her he kissed her. Using his hand he caressed the softness of her breast through the fabric of this unknown piece of women's frippery.

Katherine's moan heralded his success. When he moved his lips to her neck Katherine took the opportunity to ask him to show her how to please him. Swallowing the sudden boulders he felt constricting his throat Erik contemplated how best to go about this. A sudden shaking took him by surprise. It further amazed him that the shaking was coming from him and not Katherine. His hands were shaking. He kept swallowing dryly trying to ease his throat. His palms were beginning to sweat. He suddenly realized he was as nervous as hell. What if he frightened her? Asked her to do something that disgusted her? What if she found him disgusting when he...well when he found his release?

Since Erik's early days of his new found intimacy with women he had not worried about what they thought of him. His only desire had been to give and receive pleasure. Sometimes pleasure only on his side. He amply rewarded the women he bedded. If he gave them pleasure they considered themselves damn lucky as well as amply compensated for their time.

With Katherine it was different. Dear God! What if she found him...well found him inadequate? He imagined hearing her shocked gasp then her mocking words. He began to shake even more. A virgin. She was a virgin. All the women he had been with had lovers before him. Some he imagined had lovers even while they had been with him. Erik felt as if the room was suddenly airless. Dear Lord he begged, _**do not**_ _**let me faint**_. He had begun to think it might be a distinct possibility.

Katherine had been kissing him on his neck as she caressed his shoulders waiting for him to do something, anything. When he continued to lay halfway across her with his face buried in her neck she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Katherine sat up pushing Erik back onto the couch. With a little wiggling and readjusting Katherine had Erik on his back giving her better access to him. She sat beside him with her hip pressed against his. She ran her hands down over the tops of his strong muscled legs covered in fine cloth. When she came to his boots she removed first one then the other. She then proceeded back up to his chest.

Having already unbuttoned his shirt Katherine slid her hands underneath the soft material to find hard muscle underneath. She stroked along his chest down over his flat stomach which quivered at the passing of her hand over his skin. She came to the waistband of his trousers. Beyond this line where skin met his trouser waistband was a mystery Katherine had never explored. Her hands were not as steady as she would have wished. She was nervous as well as frightened of the unknown. Not enough to stay her hand though or weaken her resolve to forge ahead. Her heart hammering against the wall of her chest Katherine braved the unknown seeking a closeness and familiarity never before shared with anyone. Society would think her less than proper but that same society scorned her for something she had no control over. She had the approval of the people who mattered to her. The others were of little concern to her anymore. She no longer sought their acceptance or approval.

Finding the first button she worked it through the button hole. With each accomplishment she gained confidence. With her confidence came bold assurance. Searching for his lips with her own she kissed him gliding her tongue along his lips as he had done to hers earlier. She hoped the caress gave him as much pleasure as his tongue had given her. Having undone all the buttons of his trousers she hesitated to search for the hidden treasures of Erik's body. Katherine had never seen a naked man before let alone touched one. At least not this part of one. She had only had her imagination. Her hands rested just inside the band of his trousers tucked underneath what she thought might be a man's version of an undergarment. She could feel his warm skin beneath the soft texture of the cotton. She found it quite enjoyable smoothing her hands over his taught warm flesh. She ignored the flush staining her cheeks. This was the time for bold moves not shy virgin trepidation.

Erik suddenly came alive. Standing up he dropped his trousers in front of a completely transfixed Katherine. Stepping out of them he tossed them carelessly aside seconds later his undergarment followed his trousers. He stood proudly before her with his shirt gaping open displaying his well honed muscles. The rest of him was bared to her eager if somewhat shy perusal.

Katherine's boldness had removed any negative thoughts from Erik's head. He would bare all and let the chips fall where they may. Hesitating only a second he gripped his mask removing it in a daring flourish. He tossed that carelessly aside also. If she was to be with him as he wanted she must come to know all of him. Intimately. He would rather know now than later if she could not tolerate kissing him with his marred face looking back at her. He wanted her to be able to look him in the face when they shared intimacies.

Katherine could only stare at his magnificent form. She spared only a brief glance at his face. There were much more interesting areas drawing her eyes. She did not know what other men looked like but if they came close to Erik all men should be proud. She shivered in anticipation. Sitting up she then stood to her feet. Unbuttoning the last of the buttons on her dress she shrugged it over her shoulders letting it drop to the floor. Katherine crossed her arms shyly over her chest when she noticed where Erik's heated gaze was staring with fixed intent. Regrouping her courage she dropped her petticoats stepping out of them. She kicked off the little slippers covering her stocking covered legs and feet.

When she would have dropped her bloomers Erik stayed her hand. It was not that he did not want the offending garment removed; he just had the notion that it would be much more pleasurable to remove them himself. Those stockings underneath had his hands itching to rip them from her. He would not, at least not this first time. He did not want her to think him a lecher.

Erik took the few steps that put him directly in front of her with only an inch between them. Slowly he raised his hands to the last few ribbons of her camisole. He wanted to give her time to object if she changed her mind. The throbbing appendage between his legs was demanding he hurry things along. He then tackled this new, never before seen undergarment. It seemed to have hooks all down the front. It did not go all the way to the waist. It stopped just a few inches below her breasts.

Shaking fingers tackled the task his mind instructed them to perform. The garment seemed to melt away of its own volition. He gazed in wonder at her beauty. One would think he had never seen a woman's breasts before. In the moment he beheld Katherine's bounty all others became a blur of forgotten encounters. It was as if this were his first time. In a way it was. This was the first time Erik would be with a woman he had more than lustful feelings toward. His love for Katherine made it all seem unexplored territory.

The bloomers were the next garment hiding Katherine from his eyes to be removed. Barely able to breath now without sounding like a huffing beast Erik knelt down to slowly inch those damn enticingly silky stockings down her legs. Erik removed them one tortuous leg at a time. When the last one was tossed to the floor he scooped her into his arms. Striding to the couch Erik laid her down then joined her. His kisses were so tender, so loving Katherine almost cried. He brought her to fever pitch slowly. Erik wanted to possess her completely. He knew she would not stop him. In fact she would share in his pleasure. He would not possess her until she was truly his. He could and would forgo that final threshold for now.

Where this noble minded persona came from he had no idea. He only knew he wanted their first time of complete intimacy to be on their wedding night in his luxurious bed. He was thankful he had not ever brought any woman into his home he had slept with. Yes, marriage seemed to be what he wanted with Katherine. He did not want just a quick coupling then a brief farewell. Not since Christine had Erik thought in terms of permanence with any woman. Now it seemed that was all he thought about with Katherine.

That was another shock for Erik. He was thinking in terms of marriage, children, well perhaps not children. His thoughts had been leaning toward a lifetime commitment. This was not a fleeting affair that would end when passion had been spent. He wanted it all. He wanted all of Katherine.

He had all but given up hope of ever finding the one woman who would stir his blood while engulfing his heart with love. He had once thought he would have that with Christine.

He was just learning that what he felt for Christine was honest and true affection yet it paled when compared to how he felt for Katherine after only a brief acquaintance. Some might say this was a fleeting intense attraction. Those who knew Erik would know he did not give his affections easily or lightly. Erik found it hard to accept the affection of others. He found it harder still to give them in return. He kept his heart firmly locked away with wide trenches around it for added security. Katherine broke down all the barriers safeguarding his heart. Just when she had crossed that last barrier he could not say with certainty. She had certainly stormed his defenses like a true warrior. She had braved his entire vast arsenal, tearing them apart one by one. All the walls he had built over his life that had been reinforced after Christine's rejection crumbled to dust. He lay his silent offering at Katherine's feet. For her he would bend as she willed him without breaking. He had placed his heart in her gentle hand to do with as she would.

Erik guided Katherine's hand where he needed her touch. His manhood throbbed and pulsed with his need. When her hand jerked back as if burned he thought that it was over. This was beyond what she had been prepared to indulge in with him at this time.

Regaining her courage she wrapped her fingers around him. After that it was as if being in this intimate state was an everyday occurrence to her. Instincts she did not know she had guided her in ways to touch him as well as how to prolong his pleasure. Katherine stroked his hard flesh with increasing fervor as Erik found the wetness at the juncture of her thighs.

He stroked along her folds finding her point of ecstasy. Gently he stroked down toward her warm opening. Inserting his finger he caressed her inner walls. His thumb gave full attention to the nub awaiting his touch. When her hips began to rise from the couch in a quicker rhythm he allowed himself to concentrate on Katherine's hand on his hard manhood. Kissing her hotly Erik removed her hand from him. He ground his hips against her. His moment was a short time away. He wanted more than her delicate hand bringing about his release. Even as he repositioned his body he continued to bring Katherine closer to the edge of fulfillment.

"Katherine. Oh God Katherine. You feel so good. So sweet." Erik strained to hold back his release. He had only a few seconds and it would be all over. He would be devastated if he came to his enjoyment without her.

Hearing her impassioned groan of pleasure as her body convulsed with pleasure released he found his own moment as his hot seed coated her lush softness. He had been so close to throwing caution to the wind taking Katherine in the fullest sense. He had restrained himself, barely. Erik had stroked himself along her folds needing that little bit of closeness to the place he most wanted to breach with his manhood.

Judging by her praises of his abilities as a lover he had to say that he had been quite puffed with pride by her words. Her encouragement had driven him to new heights. If he did not know for certain she was an innocent he would think Miss Montgomery quite the tart. A fact he was all too willing to exploit and explore. Erik himself felt quite the Don Juan he had always envisioned himself to be with Katherine's warm breath tickling his ear murmuring such adventurous words that nearly made him come unglued.

As his body expelled that bit of his life-force Erik could no longer hold back the words he needed to say. As he came against her he growled in ecstasy, "I love you. Katherine I love you."

"I love you too Erik. I love you too." They kissed feverishly. No place was left untouched. As they kissed they declared their love again and again. Neither Katherine nor Erik seemed to tire of hearing those words once they had been openly declared. Those words had been danced around even as they danced around one another in the guise of antagonists. There would be no more denials about feelings one for the other.

Heartbeats returning to normal reality began to drift back into their passion fogged minds. Lazily they stroked one another. Briefly it occurred to Erik that he should clean away the evidence of his pleasure. Katherine's continued stroking of him drove that thought completely out of his mind.

Erik growled in frustration, "We need to return. Would it be rude to stay in here with the door locked until everyone has left?"

"What about Nadir and Darius?' She delighted in being free to touch him as she wished. Her hands continued to caress him at will. Each place seemed to be a new and wondrous patch of skin needing her thorough inspection. Erik did his own intimate inspecting. To hell with being polite. This time it was not slow. If possible it was much more intense. Erik could not ever recall having felt as if he was coming apart at each touch of a woman's hand or lips. If he felt this way now when he possessed her he wondered if he would survive the intensity. His heart would surely fail him.

Erik could only be grateful for his ingenious forethought to have a bathroom installed in what had once been a storage closet in his study.

He and Katherine could refresh themselves without anyone being the wiser concerning their long absence. If they had known what the others were up to they may not have given it a second thought. As it was they hardly gave the others more than a fleeting consideration

**A/N: Ah, finally. Katherine and Erik have done the deed. Well almost. I hope I did the scene justice. I do like writing love scenes as well as describing them I just am not sure if I do them well. As I write them they fine. Then the doubts set in. So please leave a review to let me know how I did with this or where I need to improve or change anything.**


	47. Chapter 46

**Chapter Forty-six**

**Raoul and Fawn**

Raoul felt that as soon as Katherine and Erik left the room the walls seemed to shrink into a much smaller space. Raoul's brave thoughts of what he might do if he were alone with Fawn now seemed a bit daunting. His self-assurance seemed to have deserted him leaving him speechless. How many years **_had_** it been since he had actively pursued a woman?

Raoul could think of not one intelligent thing to say as he stood in front of the fireplace. One by one or rather two by two the occupants had left until it was just Raoul and Fawn. Should he leave? No. Had not it been his wish only minutes ago to be alone with her? He could not leave her alone. He could think of no place he would rather be at the moment. Well he could but that was a highly unlikely fantasy of his own mind. He should not even be here with her, especially not alone, while his wife was in the same house. Although, Christine herself was somewhere in the house with another man that did not make his actions any more acceptable nor proper. The man was not even Erik. He dare not think what Erik and Katherine were doing. What everyone else was doing as well. This dinner had turned into several mini orgies. Raoul's imagination was all too vividly imagining what the others were doing. If he stayed here much longer he'd say to hell with it all then start his own orgy. With Fawn. It was what he wanted.

"Come sit with me Raoul." Her tone seemed to suggest something more than just sitting. She patted the spot beside her on the settee. Raoul who continued to stand by the fireplace where a small fire had been built for ambience alone, stiffened his backbone. He instructed his feet to stay firmly planted where they were. If he moved they were both in danger of his emotions breaking loose letting him do what he had wanted to do since he had kissed her that first time. The fire slowly beginning in his lower belly gave the fire in the hearth competition. Damn why does Erik have it so hot in here? It is cool in the evenings but there was no need for it to be sweltering. Raoul pulled at his tie. He felt as he might be strangling. Perhaps he had tied this new tie his tailor had talked him into too tightly.

Fawn patted the seat beside her again. Raoul could see nothing but innocence staring back at him. She may have innocent thoughts but he sure as hell did not. He did not wish to be rude but if she thought he could sit by her without touching her she was mistaken. He was a gentleman but lately his libido had been sorely neglected. The taste of her he had the evening of the hayride had only wetted his appetite. He had a voracious appetite at the moment. One little slip and he would have her here in Erik's home.

Without conscious thought his feet took him where he wanted to be. His feet disobeyed his command to stay put as he crossed over then sat beside her. Something was nagging at him trying to warn him he had made a colossal mistake. This close he could smell her sweet scent. Raoul rubbed his hands down his pant legs to remove the excess moisture that suddenly seemed to be pouring out of his skin in buckets.

Fawn scooted over eliminating the last few inches separating them. She turned to him leaning just a bit toward him. She had discussed her feelings for Raoul with Katherine and Dove. They had gone over so many ways how she should convey her feelings to Raoul. This new world she was living in said it was not proper or ladylike to openly pursue a man. A lady must wait to be asked if she would accept a man to court her.

To Fawn courting seemed a waste of time. Time spent doing things that would further their knowing each other intimately. Gamm said most couples courted for months before they even had the opportunity to be alone. How did one get to know another if they could not speak freely and ask questions? In her world men bought women by offering horses, mules, guns, bows and arrows. Anything of value could be used including precious furs. The women made themselves available for the men to look them over as they went about their tasks of curing skins and lacing furs together to make blanket and coats to throw around ones shoulders. Beadwork as well as many other talents were performed by the women of marrying age out in the open so the woman's handiwork could been seen and judged.

The women looked the men over at the same time. If a woman saw a man who pleased her and had displayed his wealth for her to consider she would coyly smile in his direction. Often an offer had been made for a maidens hand based on that smile.

Unless a couple was bold in this white world, kissing came even later in the relationship. Well they had skipped all that courting nonsense. They had kissed, a toe curling, stomach clenching, kiss. Raoul had even held her hand.

Raoul cleared his throat to prepare himself to say something. What he would say he had no idea. He need not have worried. Fawn took things into her own hands. She leaned over claiming his lips in a kiss that stole any coherent thought from Raoul's muddled mind. His arms went around her drawing her into a closer embrace. Obeying the subtle pressure of her hands on his chest Raoul sank back of the settee. She followed him down lying across his chest as they continued to kiss.

**_God what am I doing? I am a married man. In name only but still tied to a woman other than the one in my arms. But damn it she feels so good, so right. Fuck the opinions of others. Fuck being married to a woman who did not want him. I have walked the straight and narrow too fucking long. That straight line only brought me heartache and sorrow._**

Raoul knew they could not take this too far. Someone could come back into the room at any moment. He grinned against her lips as alternative ideas flashed into his head. Not all pleasures required the removal of one's clothing. He had not used this method with a woman since he was a very young man just hitting his stride with women. It was a safe way to have pleasure without the worry of consequences or taking a young girls innocence.

Raoul's hand hovered over the buttons of her dress. The pearl buttons drew his gaze. He licked his lips in anticipation of what wonders he was about to see. "May I?" he asked with his finger lightly running over the first pearl button.

Flushing with both desire and shyness Fawn answered him, "Yes." That simple word was a catalyst letting loose pent up desires too long held in denial. Raoul showed Fawn the pleasures two people can share while whispering promises of greater things to come.

He guided her untutored touch. Her shy kisses became bolder, more demanding, more pleasurable. Raoul thought the room lit up with fireworks shooting in all directions. Reaching his climax once his body gave him a short respite before being ready to climb to that high plateau again. Any thoughts concerning being caught had long since fled his mind. Pleasure now clouded his thought processes.

Fawn and Raoul lay breathless as well as being completely sated. For a while at least. Using his handkerchief he cleaned away his spent seed. They straightened their clothing. Stopping now and then to smile foolishly at one another, to steal a kiss or caress. Raoul did not know how all this would end. He knew what he wanted to happen. He prayed for his sake as well as Fawn's that things went as he wished. He wanted the sort of life he had always envisioned for himself all those years ago when he married Christine. With Fawn he did think he had the chance to achieve his dream.

He wanted to be free to pursue her openly. She deserved a man who did not have to hide his interest. Soon he hoped to be free of his ties with Christine. Until then he and Fawn must be discrete in their meetings. He wanted not one word bandied about concerning her morals. She had enough disparagement because of her race. He cared not one whit what people she came from. All he cared about was her. He could only imagine the uproar that would ensue when he married Fawn. That was one thing he was sure of at this moment. He would ask her to marry him. Not only for himself but for her they would be wed.

Not anytime soon of course. He had to get his personal life in order before he could ask her to share his life beyond what they had at the moment. Damned if it did not seem as if he had more with Fawn than he had with Christine since they had first been reunited. With Fawn he did not have the worry that if he turned his back she would be skulking off in some dark corner to confer with some dark menacing God damned angel.

Sneaking about, sharing quick moments of pleasure was not how he wanted things to be but for now it was all they could have. In his heart he was sure he was committed to Fawn. Or at least as sure as one could be about such matters. He did not need any tangible evidence to prove it was so. The only reason he would even consider going through another ritual that would tie him to another human being had nothing to do with what he needed but everything to do with what he wanted. Raoul wanted the world to know Fawn and he would be man and wife tied by love and law.

He really must speak to Christine about ending their marriage. It had not been a marriage of any sort other than on paper for the last two years.

If he thought the furor over his association with Christine had been badly received, he anticipated much worse when it became known he was interested in Fawn. If need be he could take her so far from America no would know where they were. There were countries one could go where no one cared what your lineage was or what status you had. He would take her to such a place if he had to. He hoped it would not come to that.

Sensing Raoul's disquiet Fawn asked timidly as she redressed, "Are you having regrets Raoul? Did I…did I not do things the way they should have been done? This was my first…you were my first. I…I know we have not gone as far as you have with others but I…I can learn. You can teach me." It hurt Raoul for her to think that she had not satisfied him in every way. This was not in any way a reflection on her. It was only his poor judgment and choices in the past that stood in their way now.

Sitting down beside her with his shirt still unbuttoned and his trousers gapping open Raoul halted her own attempt to dress feeling his weight behind her. She had been so silly when they had begun to redress. Of all times to become embarrassed she had felt her cheeks burning as Raoul had watched her pulling on her garments, seeming to be mesmerized by her movements. She had turned away from him to finish pulling on her clothing. He must think her a fool. She let him touch and kiss her every place only a husband should touch but she baulked at letting him watch her redress. It was stupid and childish.

Raoul placed his hand on her shoulder. Slowly he slid his hand down her arm then back up again. He delighted in her shivers. Even after all they had done she was still shy as any maiden would be.

He lowered his head to kiss her neck. His tongue lightly stroked along her skin. He'd be damned if he left her with the feeling she was in any way inadequate.

Fawn turned around and then slowly slid to her back. Raoul pulled away from her. Fawn's heart began to hammer in her chest. Oh no. She had done something wrong. She felt the heat rush up over her neck to her face. Now she would look like some glowing beacon.

"What did I do wrong? Tell me and I can do it differently." She felt those stupid weak tears begin to blur her vision. Now she would humiliate herself further by crying like some weak white woman. She could not keep the sniffle from escaping or the little hiccup. Soon she would be crying piteously then she would once and for all disgust him.

Raoul used his fingers to gently wipe the tears from her eyes. Standing up he pulled on her hands until she stood in front of him. She looked at him curiously through her blurred vision when he just stood looking at her with such a tender expression in his eyes.

"Come. I will convince you once and for all that I want you. You have done nothing to displease me. I thought I might have not done right by you as it has been some years since I have…well since I have done anything like this. Well not exactly like this but…well similar and…shit. Pardon me Mademoiselle Fawn. I am being crude and stumbling around like an idiot standing on his own tongue. What I want to convey is that intimacy of any kind with a woman has not been something I have enjoyed in many years. Well a little over two to be precise. For a man, that can seem to be an eternity."

Raoul led Fawn to the Persian rug in front of the fireplace. He held her hand to assist her in sitting down. Once she was comfortable Raoul went to the door and turned the lock. He had been too taken with Fawn earlier to have any concerns about someone coming in and interrupting things. Now he had a somewhat clearer head and would take the time to show Fawn just what she did to him. Not completely possessing her but near enough that she would have no doubts that she pleased him in every way.

Fawn and Raoul had barely made themselves respectable when the couples returned. Soon everyone was back in the room where it had all started. So much fidgeting was going on it did not take much intelligence to figure out there were guilty secrets being hidden behind lowered lids. Shy glances were exchanged with ones much bolder and heated. Shy smiles spread across soft kiss swollen lips. Cheeks heated with the glow of knowledge of caresses that had been shared only bare minutes before.

**A/N: I am pleased with the reviews I have gotten. While not as many as others receive I am content. I am not greedy, well I am when it comes to reviews but I will be satisfied I suppose if I continue to hear from those few who leave an encouraging comment. At least I know my efforts are appreciated. So I do thank you once again all who read and those especially who read then leave a review. Reviews are indeed greatly appreciated. **


	48. Chapter 47

Chapter Forty-seven

End of the Evening

No one seemed in any hurry to leave. Everyone shot speculative glances around the room encountering the same questioning look reflecting back toward them.

Conversation seemed to gravitate toward the safer mundane topics such as the weather tonight, what the weather would be tomorrow, and Erik's warehouse issues. Katherine inquired why the robberies only occurred in the warehouses he owned and not the ones they owned together. As far as that went no other warehouse owners had complained of any recent robberies.

Hayden told them robberies of shipments sent by rail had been either completely stolen or partially gone missing. His cousin, a former Pinkerton had told him that investigations were underway. The Pinkerton organization had already been asked to investigate the matter. Although his cousin no longer worked for them he still kept in touch and helped at times with difficult cases. He had been an expert at ferreting out information as well as tracking as he seemed to be able to get inside a criminals mind so that he could anticipate their next moves.

Erik had his own ideas about the current situation but was not willing to divulge anything at the moment. He did not want to cause any undue worry if he were wrong although he did not think his conclusions were wrong.

Katherine enquired as to the health of Hayden's mother. His reply had been she was quite well. In fact she had been considering hosting a ball in honor of Katherine's return. The governor, John J. Jacob who happened to be Hayden's uncle had already given his promise to attend.

Hayden's mother had thought that with the governor's presence all those who might have second thoughts about attending because of addlebrained ideas concerning Katherine would not want to miss an evening with the governor.

Hayden had also mentioned he had heard of the offer to Erik to be some sort of financial adviser to the governor's commission on reform. Even if it was not an official appointment it was still an honor very few people would ever have. It would also be a very prestigious position for any man to hold, official or not.

Noticing Katherine's impressed expression Erik thought he might just become somewhat of a political participant after all. Erik had not wanted to enmesh himself in political intrigues but if it impressed his intended he would reconsider.

Thinking of all the prestige that went along with any association with someone in power Erik had to concede it did have a few redeeming factors. He need not even resort to any underhanded dealings. The mere fact that his name would be associated with such an honest upright political figurehead would impress many people.

It had been the same in France. The aristocracy used their power to gain what they wanted which had been the little bit of coins that rattled in the common man's pocket. This man, Governor Jacob seemed to be honest to a fault. Erik had heard not one single disparaging thing so far against the man.

Not all but most men in power in France had used their power to further their own positions. Similar practices were carried out even here in America. Those in power gained support in exchange for favors later. Erik could see the logic of the practice as long as it did not entail anything that would harm the greater good.

Yes, Erik thought he might just reconsider that offer from Governor Jacob. Everything Erik had learned about the man impressed him. He seemed honest and genuinely concerned for his constituents. It did bare consideration.

When at last the late hour declared all considerate and proper guests should leave, en mass they headed toward the door.

Erik caught Katherine just before she stepped outside the door into the entryway. He pulled her to him for a hungry kiss. This kiss must sustain him until he could see her tomorrow in the office. They had agreed to go in on a Saturday to be certain everything had been left in good hands. Erik wanted all the I's dotted and all the T's crossed. If things went to hell while he had to be away things would not be pleasant upon his return.

Katherine stepped out ahead of Erik to be greeted with knowing smiles by everyone but Christine who had a sour disapproving glare pointed directly at Katherine.

Katherine ignored the heated flush staining her cheeks. She lifted her chin just the tiniest bit higher, then grandly sidestepped Christine who refused to move aside.

Reluctant good-nights were said. Erik, Nadir and Darius looked on as everyone made ready to leave. Once the door was shut they exchanged glances. Each man had a foolish grin plastered on his face. Nadir and Darius knew why they grinned like idiots. They hoped they knew what made Erik so unusually jovial. Sensing their regard he met their questioning stares.

"What? Is something amiss?" Trying to be as nonchalant as possible he checked his trousers. They were buttoned. His shirt was re-buttoned as well. He could find nothing wrong.

Frustration won out over the fear of some telling missed article of clothing. "Damn it what is wrong? I refuse to play the guessing game." Erik folded his arms spreading his legs slightly in a challenging stance. His face had darkened with his irritation. Damned snoops. They thought they had the right to know every intimate detail of his life. Well he had news for them, those days were over. He would tell only what he chose to tell them from this moment on. That look of Nadir's would no longer intimidate him. He no longer needed to be corralled or watched over. Had they not only last night said the same damn thing? Almost.

"Erik you have the grin on your face you get when you have been occupied in a particularly indiscreet manner. So what has happened? Did you perhaps make some progress this evening with a certain young woman?" Nadir hoped his own foolish grin had not been noticed. He was a man who had not blushed since he was a very young inexperienced man. To his dismay he found his cheeks heating with the remembrance of his time with Meg. A man of thirty-eight did not blush.

Erik did not miss the flush or the way Nadir shifted his glance. A man who looked him in the eye constantly when interrogating him chose to avoid his glance. Looking at Darius he found a similar behavior being performed. It would seem he was not the only miscreant tonight. Turn about was fair play. If they could question him he was entitled to his own questions.

"What have the two of you been doing this evening? If you do not mind my saying so you both look as guilty as hell. If I am to confess all my misdeeds then the two of you must as well. Did something perhaps of an intimate nature take place with your own partners of the evening?" Erik dared them with a look to deny his accusations. They chose silence, ignorance and avoidance instead of answering.

A silent conversation passed between Nadir and Darius. Silence and ignorance seemed the best way to go. Glancing away from each other an unspoken pact of silence had been sealed with that look. Nadir stretched with elaborate movements. He yawned widely for effect.

"Darius I do not know about you but I am suddenly very tired. I think I shall retire. I will see you both in the morning." Nadir gave another huge yawn stretching his arms above his head to add credence to his slight untruth. He was tired but knew sleep would be long in coming to him this night of most wondrous happenings. He wanted to relive each moment he had spent with Meg until he saw her again. Meg. She had conceded to allow him to court her. He had made it clear that his intentions were not to drag out the courting ritual. He wanted her with him. He wanted it to be soon. Damn soon if he wanted to be known as her child's father.

Darius agreed it was indeed a most tiring night. He could barely keep his eyes open. Erik learned another valuable lesson. When Nadir and Darius launched into one of their sessions of asking questions he did not want to answer he should ask questions of his own. It would seem they were not willing to let him delve into their business as they did his. They all went to bed. Tomorrow was another day.

After dropping off Christine and Meg, Raoul and Katherine had there own little exchange of confidences.

Raoul cleared his throat in preparation to impart the gist of what had taken place between Fawn and himself earlier. Not any of the particulars of course but he wanted Katherine's opinion about his burgeoning relationship with Fawn.

"Katherine I know it is highly improper and if you wish you may tell me to go to the devil. I would like to discuss my…well the chance of a relationship with Fawn. Would you think me a colossal cad if I pursue her? I know I am married but you above all people know what a sham it is."

Katherine turned to Raoul to speak earnestly, "Raoul if you do intend to further things with Fawn I would be quite happy to support you in any way I can. I do think you should speak with Matthew very soon. You must begin to severe all your ties to Christine. If this is not what you have in mind I do advise you to go no further. Anything less than a total commitment would only hurt Fawn and bring about your early demise I am sure."

Raoul chuckled even though he knew the truth of her words. He had already made the decision to comply with everything she had stated he needed to do. Now he had to implement his plans.

"I would do nothing intentionally to bring pain to Fawn. I had already decided to end my marriage, such as it is. I do not think Christine will protest. She has said as much already. Of course that was before you came along drawing Erik's attention. How did the evening progress by the way? My dear Katherine I daresay we do not need lights when we can see perfectly well from the glow on your face."

Katherine punched his arm good-naturedly. "Oh, you. You can not see my face at all." She hesitated then asked, "Can you?" She put her hands up to cover her hotcheeks.

"Relax Katherine, I was only teasing but now you have me intrigued. Just what did happen while you were away for so long with Erik?"

Katherine countered, "So tell me Raoul, how did you and fawn pass the time while you were the only two in the room? Played cards did you?"

Raoul felt his own face heat with a flush of his own. "Well I…I…we…That is we…we." Raoul decided to halt his floundering speech before he ran out of words altogether.

"Developed a stutter now have you Raoul? This came on so sudden." Katherine enjoyed teasing Raoul just as much as he enjoyed teasing her. Neither took offence nor became angered. They knew it to be good-natured teasing only not in any way said with malice.

"Alright, I concede defeat. We shall have a pact not to enquire into any personal relationship unless invited to do so. Agreed?" Raoul put his hand out toward Katherine.

"Agreed," Katherine readily replied. She put her hand in Raoul's sharing a firm handshake to seal the deal.

"I am so glad Raoul you did not ask me to spit in my palm then shake hands to seal the pact as Emily and I did when we were younger. We did have some very disgusting behaviors back then."

Raoul chuckled once more. He could always count on Katherine giving him a good laugh. Once again he concluded that Katherine was indeed a special woman.

The rest of the journey had been made in comfortable silence.

In the suite that Meg and Christine shared Christine had sat for what seemed hours struggling to fight the darkness that beckoned her. She covered her ears in a useless effort block out the voices urging her to end it all.

Panic set in quickly as the voices bounced around seeming to echo in her head. Giving in Christine left her room heading straight for the balcony. By the time she reached the doors she was not aware of her surroundings or even who she was.

All that she could be certain of at this moment was the need to appease the voices to quiet their shouting. Opening the door Christine crossed to the balcony. Using a stool she scooted onto the ledge balancing precariously. Looking down the ground did not look so far away. A mere few inches. In fact since she had always been an angel she could fly out over the hotel courtyard then land safely if that was her wish. Erik had once told her that beautiful angels stood at the right hand of God. One had to be in heaven to serve at God's right hand.

Did she wish for a safe landing? Angels were always safe. The Angel of Music would catch her even if her own wings faltered. He promised her that he would always be with her. He would never desert her like her mother and father had.

No, that could not be true. He had deserted her. He had gone to be someone else's angel. Perhaps if she pretended to fall he would come and save her. Then he would stay with her forever to be certain he kept her safe.

Christine raised her leg onto the ledge. It would take hardly any effort at all just to swing her legs over then lean forward. Her angel would be there to catch her. Even if he did not come the voices would be happy and perhaps they would leave her alone. She swung her legs over so that she that she faced forward. Placing her hands beside her she leaned out toward the nothingness before her.

_**See, the voices chanted. It is so easy. Not hard at all. Soon all will be right, the way it should have been. It is time Christine. Do it. Do it now. **_

Meg had already put on her nightgown when she heard Christine's door open. Meg sighed. She should have known an evening spent with Raoul and Erik would trigger Christine's nocturnal wanderings. She prayed for it to be one of those where she only walked around touching objects for a while then went back to bed as if nothing were amiss.

Meg did not know if she would be able to handle Christine for much longer. Not that she feared Christine would harm her, but the stress could at times be quite dreadful.

Meg put her robe on so that she could track down where Christine had gone.

Meg found her out on the balcony sitting on the ledge. Meg held her breath for a moment trying to decide how best to get Christine's attention. Christine had her back to Meg leaning out just the tiniest bit. Much further and Christine would fall to her death. This situation Meg knew to be beyond anything she had encountered before with Christine. Christine had never been quite this close to death as she was at the present time. Usually she just spoke of the voices urging her to do horrible things to herself. Meg had always been able to reason with Christine when in one of these moods. Meg did not know of any other term to label Christine's behavior. After soothing and calming Christine, Meg would take Christine to her bed and lay beside her in her bed.

When Christine had married Raoul the episodes had stopped for a while. When she would visit Meg at first she had seemed tremendously happy. Later things had begun to change. Then Meg's own troubles had led her into the home of Christine and Raoul. When Christine had been home Meg had been able to make sure she had been safe. When she had been on one of her trips Meg could only pray that God would keep Christine safe.

"Christine love, come down please. You are frightening me. You do not wish to cause me any stress do you? Think of the baby. As my child's aunt you have a duty to make sure things are safe for your niece or nephew."

Christine did not turn around. Her voice barely above a whisper she replied, "I had a baby once. Oh not really, only as you do in my womb. They cut it right out. I had no time to think or reconsider. I went in then in a matter of minutes it was over. My child, our child, Raoul's and mine had been ripped from the safety of its mother's womb. No. No I would not want any harm to come to you or your baby Meg."

"It's the voices you see. They know I am wicked and need to be punished. Who would care Meg? Who would really care? Not Raoul and not Erik."

Christine leaned precariously an inch or two forward to look down as she asked, "Do you suppose it hurts Meg? Does it hurt more to die than to live? I suppose there must be a bit of pain. Perhaps only an instant of pain and then blessed relief."

"Christine you are talking nonsense. I demand you turn around now and give me your hand this instant." Meg tried to infuse the commanding tone her mother had used on the whole ballet corps and in particular on Meg and Christine.

Christine chuckled, "Meg you sound like Maman. Oh dear, I did not consider how disappointed she would be in me. The voices you see can be quite persuasive at times. Sometimes I must just let them have their way. I am so tired now Meg. May I sleep in your bed as we did as children? You always made me feel so safe. So protected."

Meg wiped the tears from her cheeks before she answered calmly, "Why of course you may silly. What sort of sister would I be if I did not allow you that small comfort?"

"I would have me for a sister. The kind of sister I deserve. Come, help me Meg. I do feel a little light headed."

Meg rushed toward Christine grabbing her around the waist to pull her backwards. Christine landed on Meg with a thump. Meg's breath whooshed out then for a little bit she could not breathe at all.

Once Meg had regained her breath she wiggled out from under Christine. If Meg did not hurry Christine would fall asleep where she lay. It was always the same. Some middle of the night drama then Christine would sleep for hours. Sometimes she slept the whole of the next day away. Meg guided Christine into her own room. Christine lay down wearily. Almost as soon as her head hit the pillow she fell into a deep sleep. In the morning Christine would remember nothing about what occurred during the night. Meg as always would not say anything. There had been rare occasions when Christine would recall some portion of the night thinking she had dreamed. Only when Meg had not been able to control Christine when they had gotten older had Meg informed Christine of her night time wanderings.

During her time with Erik the occurrences had usually involved music. Only in later years when things had taken a turn toward adult feelings and situations, Christine reverted to the more dangerous activities.

Meg crawled into bed with Christine. On Sunday they would be sending the others off on some dangerous rescue mission. Nadir had tried to give her as much information as he could without going into too great of detail. All Meg knew for certain at the moment was that she and Nadir had made some sort of declaration and commitment and now he would be going off possibly putting himself in danger. Sunday would be the last day they would see one another for a few days at least.

As the men feel asleep each had thoughts of their own about the coming days. Thoughts of coming back to loved ones wove a common thread in all there prayers.

The day of the journey to rescue a man and woman they did not know would soon be upon them. Only three days hence they would be seeking to rescue these unknown people. Each man wished to make the most of the following two days for who could know what the future held?

**As always reviews will be appreciated. So this ends the night of the dinner and private little trysts. Now we move on toward the perilous journey and all the preparations beforehand**.


	49. Chapter 48

**A/n: This is a nice long chapter. So enjoy and review. **

**Thanks to all those loyal readers who have taken the time to encourage me with reviews or PMs. I do enjoy receiving your input. **

**Chapter Forty-eight **

**Risks and Rescues**

Saturday Erik had sent all the messages to those who needed to know about his absence, the messages explained his absence as a business trip. Nadir and Darius would be making the trip with him. Ox was being given full authority over all the warehouses. Marianne would hold down the fort at the offices and Julia would care for his home.

Katherine and Erik had gone into town on Saturday to make sure things in the office and the theatre was in order. Marianne had somewhat disconcerted Katherine. She had thought Erik would replace Arthur with another man. To see this beautiful young woman happily ensconced in Erik's outer office had been slightly disconcerting to say the least. Katherine had shot Erik a look that did not bode well if he did not have a very good reason that a nubile woman had been chosen to guard his inner sanctum which Katherine herself had never visited.

Erik had made their association clear to Katherine. He wanted no misunderstandings. Really Katherine's consternation and suspicions had only lasted a moment or two as Marianne had made her feel so welcome. With her sweet nature at last able to shine, Marianne was a welcoming friendly person. Amazingly she dealt well with people. Her past had not colored her views on those she met along the road of life. Men and women were treated with equal friendliness until given some reason to be cautious.

Katherine had returned home with the promise to dine with Erik in the evening. Much to his irritation she wanted to dine in the hotel dining room in which Raoul had a financial interest. It galled Erik that his money would be lining the pocket of his one time adversary. He and Raoul may have buried the hatchet as it were but some things took time to change.

Saturday evening Erik had sent a cab to Katherine's to pick her up. He wanted no one to end his evening having to get home early because Katherine would not hear of anyone staying out that late waiting for her to decide to return home. The cabbie would be grateful for the extra large compensation Erik gave him for his time and trouble.

There had been a small disturbance during dinner. While Katherine and Erik had been dining Erik could not shake the feeling of being watched. Using his napkin as a shield as he wiped his lips, Erik had perused the other tables occupied with other diners. He saw nothing at first until his eyes connected with Jackson Tyler's cruel gaze. That man had the nerve to raise his glass to Erik in a mocking toast.

When the man's eyes had turned to Katherine in a most disrespectful way it had been all Erik could do not to jump from his seat and tear the man apart. If Erik could have seen into the future he would have killed the bastard that night. As it was he only glared daggers in the man's direction giving him a silent warning to stay clear of Katherine.

Tyler's companion was all but removing her clothing to garner just a little of his attention. She may as well have saved herself the humiliation. Tyler had eyes only for Katherine.

Katherine would have usually been more observant. If she had she would have seen Jackson Tyler and recognized him as one of the men who had visited the encampment in order to trade.

She would have remembered him as the traitor to his people he was but also as the man who had made her skin crawl as a young girl.

The evening came to a conclusion without any open hostilities breaking out. Long after Katherine and Erik had left the dining room Jackson had sat at the table. In irritation he had dismissed his companion. He tossed a sufficient amount of money toward her to compensate for her irritation.

He had wanted no distractions as he considered how best to progress his plan. He had been watching Katherine ever since her return. Jackson had not personally followed her all the time.

He had hired men to keep tabs on her during the day reporting her comings and goings to him personally. He wanted to know every person she came into contact with.

Jackson had found himself outside Katherine's home numerous times. He had considered taking her from her room any number of times.

Knowing Matthew would be able to track him he restrained himself from acting impulsively. If her damned savage brother had any inkling of his visits Jackson knew without a doubt he'd be dead long before now.

Jackson had been quite careful to keep a low profile when it came to his interest in Katherine. When he had first heard of Katherine's return he had wanted to approach her. On further consideration he thought it best to wait.

Until tonight when he had seen that ugly freak with her Jackson had been able to control his urge to make himself known to Katherine. Surely she would remember him.

Having to sit and watch as Katherine had whispered into that abomination's ear had almost driven him mad. He could not help letting Erik Fontaine know of his own interest in Katherine.

The fact that Jackson had been stealing from Erik for many months had been made all the sweeter as Fontaine had tried fruitlessly to learn the name behind the thefts. He might have some inkling of an idea but no proof positive.

Perhaps the time had come to advance his plan. Daniel Montgomery might come in handy. The man had been going all over town trying to borrow money without success. That information might well come in handy.

Yes the time had come to make Katherine Montgomery his own. He would have her long before that freak could possess her.

Matthew left instructions for the next four days just in case something happened that kept him from coming back. Giving further reflection he thought it might be wise to write out some formal declaration of what he wished to have done with his trust if something happened to him. He wanted to leave everything to Dove and Fawn. They would have need of it to make some sort of life. He knew Katherine would let them stay here as long as they wished but having an income gave them more options. They would not feel as if they were taking advantage of Katherine if they had a way to support themselves. He had intended to give them both a third each anyway. He would never spend ten million in his lifetime. If anything happened they would have equal halves.

Writing what was in his head was harder than he thought. His mother had taught him how to read and write but that was when he was a young child. He had not written a word in any language in almost two decades. He sought out Gamm. She mumbled about stupid men and there stupid wars the whole time. She did not favor white or Indian in her disparagement. He felt easier in his mind having that small thing settled.

He had told Emily last night he would be gone for the next couple of days. He had given into her pleading to know where he was going. He wished he had kept it to himself. She had cried as she had clung to Matthew. After all his warnings he had been the one to tell another. Emily's tears had tore a piece of his heart from his chest. It hurt him physically to hear her whimpering trying to be brave. Not once had she asked him not to go. She understood how important this was to him.

Raoul had come very early to Katherine's. The sun had just barely begun to climb into the sky. His interest had clearly not been to see anyone other than Fawn. After he had eaten breakfast with them he and Fawn gravitated to the gazebo. Everyone made a silent pact not to invade their privacy. Katherine's gaze kept wandering to the windows hoping to see Erik riding up to the front of the house. Her heart thumped excitedly in her chest. She hoped no one noticed her flushed cheeks or if they did they would chose not to comment.

Erik had been keeping watch all night from his usual position on the hill. He had even brought a blanket and pillow. He had slept a little but not much. The sun was just creeping over the horizon. When looking in his field glasses Erik had seen Raoul riding to the front of the house his thought had been _**"The dirty bastard thinks he will impress them by being so eager to start this little adventure". **_Erik discounted the fact that he had just spent a very uncomfortable night on a hill overlooking Katherine's home so he could be the first to arrive. Again he thought _**"Dirty bastard"**_.

Packing up his gear he tied it to the back of his saddle. He had brought a few other provisions as well that he packed on the back of the pack horse he had brought along. Late last night Erik had gone to the gunsmith's house located above the gunsmith shop. In his haste to procure rifles Erik had not considered that a man wearing a mask knocking on the door of a man who has any number of firearms at hand might not be his most intelligent action. The fact that darkness covered most of the alley entrance only added to his moment of insanity.

Erik had climbed the long flight of stairs with only the thought of purchasing weaponry not robbery. Erik considered it might also be time to purchase a side arm. The men who walked about with a gun strapped to there leg did project the aura of confidence. Whether they could hit the side of the barn or actually draw the weapon from the holster without shooting themselves in the foot remained a mystery as not one gunfight had been executed in all the time Erik had lived in Richmond, a fact he had hoped to see remedied.

When Erik had first encountered Raoul his first thought had been to purchase the gun then call Raoul out into the street. Richmond disappointingly had become quite civilized since gunplay had only consisted of some drunken lout shooting up the saloon on a Saturday night. Most places one had to check their guns in just as you would a coat or hat. As the weeks had passed, Erik had lost his lust to see Raoul's blood coating Main Street's cobbled thoroughfare.

Luckily the fist full of American dollars had won the owner of the shop over. Why would a bandit bring his own money to a robbery? Another factor was Mr. Turner did not keep any money on the premises after business hours. He made a deposit every night then a withdrawal every morning.

Erik had bought four Winchester Model 1873's, along with what he considered a sufficient amount of ammunition. He purchased a couple Henrys as well on Mr. Turner's recommendation. The side arm, a colt .45 would be ready in a few weeks. When Erik had requested certain things be engraved on the gun barrel and handle the man had said no problem. When Erik had drawn the masked skull and an angel with horns, Erik could not help but notice the man's less than enthusiastic response. The weapon would be Erik's so he would damn well have it engraved as he wished.

Mr. Turner asked if he was headed off to some war he was not aware of. They were at war with the Indians but the army was taking care of them. Erik had bought out Mr. Turners supply of ammunition. He had over five hundred rounds. That was more than Mr. Turner sold in three months. The seven guns added to his delight in his new customer.

Erik could not tell the man why he needed the guns. He said he wanted one for himself. The others he was sending to family living in France. That seemed to satisfy the man. He was more interested in Erik's wallet than his friends or family.

Erik had stopped before he got anywhere near Katherine's home to practice loading and unloading the guns. If by chance he set off a shot he wanted no one to know of his mistake. He wanted to impress Katherine with his knowledge. Shooting was another matter. If it were not dark he would take a few practice shots. He had hopes he could get a little practice in before they had to leave. A sword out here would not be much good with bullets or arrows whizzing by his ears.

He had been shown how to clean the gun by taking it apart then putting it back together. Mr. Turner had taken the time to show him how to sight the gun.

As Erik packed his provisions on the back of the pack animal his thoughts turned dark and menacing, promising dire things would happen to Raoul if he took one step out of line with Katherine.

Getting ready to mount Erik's last thought was, _**If that man takes one step out of line with Katherine I shall have to kill him. Lousy, fucking bastard. If he thinks he is going to impress Katherine with his eagerness he is mistaken.**_

Erik made short work of re-saddling Mephistopheles and packing his gear. He mounted the prancing horse spurring Mephistopheles into a gallop pulling the slower horse behind.

Riding up to the front hitching post Erik pulled back on the reins. He swung his leg over the back of his mount. His foot had barely made it to the ground when a pair of soft arms were wrapping around him from behind. Katherine pressed her face to his back. She inhaled deeply as she hugged him tightly. It did not matter to her who saw her impropriety. She could not wait to touch him. He hardly noticed the boy take the reins from his hand to lead Mephistopheles away to unsaddle him then release him in his own paddock. The black stallion pranced a bit catching wind of some mares in an open field.

The pack horse would be taken to the barn and relieved of his burden until they were ready to leave.

Erik closed his eyes placing his hands over the two feminine hands resting just above the waist of his trousers. It had not been a dream. Knowing everything had really happened he still had moments of doubts throughout the night. He turned to her wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her into his hard body. She tilted her head back offering her lips for a kiss. Erik was not so foolish as to turn down such an offer. He kissed her hard, delving deep with his tongue, sliding it along hers. He groaned as he felt her hands massaging his stomach just above the very prominent bulge in his trousers.

Drawing back Katherine kept hold of his hands as she asked, "Have you eaten? Raoul had a quick bite. I think he and Fawn have gone to the gazebo. There is a fresh pot of coffee or tea. Come inside." Katherine wanted to offer other things besides breakfast. She deemed those things to be even beyond her own sense of what was proper or not. She might think them but she could not say them openly. She felt the flush on her cheeks. It was not all the result of his kiss. In part it was from her very improper thoughts. Erik had taught her the pleasure two people could share. It can be given as well as received. She had been the giver as well as the recipient several times during their last session of loving.

She continued to hold Erik's hand as she took him into her home for the first time. Erik only got a brief look of the lush furnishings as Katherine pulled him along. He did notice the bare spots on the wall following along the stairs. Pictures had obviously been removed. The only pictures there were of Katherine as a young girl with a woman who had to be her mother. The resemblance was uncanny. Erik wished he could have known Katherine as a young girl. He did notice the lack of pictures of her father hanging on the wall. She had said he was out of her life. He supposed she meant in every way he had been removed.

Katherine sat with Erik while he ate. She placed her elbows on the table in an ill-mannered way resting her chin on her hands. He even ate with sensual appeal. She longed to use her tongue to lick that bit of strawberry jam from the corner of his mouth. The impulse getting the better of her she swiped her finger over the errant jam placing her finger in her mouth to suck the sweet from her finger.

She heard a low rumble from Erik's direction. When she brought her eyes to his face his eyes were locked on her mouth. He reached across the table to wrap his hand around her wrist. Pulling it toward him he used his other hand to scrape a bit of the jam from the jelly pot on his finger. Using his own finger to wipe the jam onto her finger he then brought her finger to his mouth. With infinite sensual swirls of his tongue he removed the jam from her finger. Katherine felt the flick of his tongue in every fiber of her body. With each scrape of his tongue her body hummed. When he would have wiped the remaining sticky residue from his finger she captured his wrist in her hand bringing his finger to her own mouth. She used her tongue on him just as he had on her. She felt as well as heard another low rumble that turned into a groan as he reached across the table to pull her to her feet. He guided her around the table then onto his lap. Once she was seated he found her lips in a scorching press of lips to lips. Gamm coming into the room quickly retreated after closing the sliding doors.

Smiling contentedly she told the rest of the staff to show everyone out to the side patio. She would be serving the remainder of breakfast out there. Miss Katherine was occupied in the dining room and did not wish to be disturbed by anyone.

"But Mrs. Graham did not the gentleman just go in there with Miss Katherine?" Amy was a young new maid. She was young but not completely without experience. When Mrs. Graham continued to smile at her making no explanations Amy comprehended the situation.

"Oh. Oh I see. Shall I linger in the hall dusting to make sure no one disturbs Miss Katherine's...activities?"

"What a brilliant idea my dear. I am surprised I did not think of it myself. I am counting on your discretion in this matter Amy."

"You can count on me Mrs. Graham. I'd do anything for Miss Katherine. Not many would hire the daughter of the city's most notorious whore."

"Amy dear must you be quite so blunt?"

"Well there's no escapin' the truth now is there?"

"No I suppose not. Just try to remember not everyone needs to know every detail of your life. Sometimes it is better to let others make their own conclusions of who you are. You should not cloud their judgment with your mother's, uh profession.

Mrs. Graham went to make things ready on the patio leaving Amy to stand guard.

Nadir and Darius arrived about a half hour later. Just behind them, a buggy with Hayden, Meg and Christine arrived. Hayden had offered to bring the ladies out when he came knowing they would want to be there to see everyone before they left. They could either drive back themselves or one of Katherine's stable hands could take them back.

Katherine hearing everyone arriving said with regret, "I suppose I must go and play hostess. I would much rather be with you. I can hardly believe I once thought you such a fowl, uncouth fellow. A disreputable man I could not keep out of my mind for long. All the things I dreamed came true except for one thing." Katherine grabbed his face with both her hands tilting her head down until her forehead touched his.

When she was sure she had his complete attention she said, "Would you like to know what dream you have not fulfilled as of yet?"

Erik swallowed the desert that had suddenly sprung up in his mouth. He was fairly sure what dream he had not fulfilled yet, as it was the same dream he had that had not been performed by the two of them outside his own mind.

Katherine leaned to the side to whisper in his ear. When she finished she licked his ear with the tip of her tongue. Erik was very sensitive to touch on his ears and his face. When she placed her lips on any part of his ears or face he responded with such ardent passion, he swept them both beyond any sort of control. If she had to guess, she would say it might be because those parts of him had never known a loving touch. Beatings or fists in the face yes, but never anything gentle or loving.

Katherine made sure she kissed each part of him that she could reach. Coming to the mask she leaned back raising her brow in question. "Will you take it off just until we rejoin the others? I do not mind the mask in fact it gives you a rather dashing, mysterious facade. When I kiss you, I want it to be you and only you."

Kissing his lips then across his cheek to his ear she heard his groan with satisfaction. He tore the mask away throwing it to the side carelessly. If it meant she would keep kissing him, Erik thought he might be able to go without his mask, in order to have her lips raining kisses over his face. One touch and his whole body tensed with need. She was like a match to tender. He was willing to let her burn him alive.

When she could dally no longer Katherine told him she should go. He begged her to stay. Since it was what she wanted she stayed. Katherine would never eat in that room again without flushing with remembered passion how she and Erik had exchanged loving touches that lead to a very satisfactory conclusion. Katherine promised herself that when they returned she would give Erik the ultimate gift a woman can give a man. They had come close to completing that act often. Erik had been the one to pull back to satisfy them both without crossing that final threshold. Eventually they joined everyone out on the patio. She blushed scarlet when she and Erik left the dining room to make their way to the patio off the back parlor. It could be reached through the kitchen as well as the parlor but Katherine did not think she could face Gamm just at the moment.

Everyone had gathered around the tables on the patio. Food and drink had been set up on a side table. Umbrellas had been opened to protect the women from the sun. Matthew was just bemoaning the fact that Emily had not shown up when a horse and rider came around the side of the house. Emily was perched astride the saddle. Christine and Meg raised their eyebrows to see a woman sitting astride a horse. Emily paid no attention to the French ladies' shock. Her only concern was a certain hot blooded man. The one who had curled her toes with hot wet kisses then followed her into her dreams to continue to set her ablaze.

Emily grabbed a chair. Making her way to the table where Matthew sat with Meg, Nadir, Christine and Hayden she stood pointedly beside Christine. Christine was sitting in-between the two men. There was an empty chair on the other side of Hayden. If the woman did not move her French butt within the next few seconds she'd find herself on that tiny derrière of hers sitting on the hard stones. Emily found herself almost hoping the woman was as dim as a watery sun. It had been quite some time since she had rolled her sleeves up and given somebody a proper whooping. She'd show Matthew she was capable of being a wild woman just as his sisters were.

For a moment Christine rebelled against having to move. She was out of sorts this morning. Erik had come onto the patio with Katherine holding her hand in a most improper fashion. The woman had no clue about propriety. Hayden was annoying her obviously reading much more into what had occurred last night than there actually was. Raoul was captivated by that squaw woman. Nothing was going as she wanted it to so why should she accommodate anyone?

Meg seeing the look on Emily's face, as well as her step toward an oblivious Christine, Meg said quickly, "Here Emily take my seat." As she felt Nadir's start of surprise she knew a protest was not far behind. Forestalling his objection she said, "Nadir and I were just discussing taking our plates out to the gazebo. Perhaps we will get a nice breeze in the shade of the trees."

Nadir who had been about to object quite vehemently suddenly decided he liked the way Meg's mind worked. Not only would they have privacy it was bound to be cooler. Under the table he took her hand in his giving her delicate fingers a quick squeeze. She returned the pressure adding a shy smile that had his heart pumping in double time. Nadir wondered how he gone so long without this type of closeness with a woman. Perhaps he had been waiting for Meg to enter his life. He knew he had never felt this strongly for any woman other than his wife.

Katherine excused herself from the table. She needed to see Gamm for a few last minute instructions. With Katherine gone that left Erik at the table with Raoul and Fawn. Darius and Dove were in the corner of the patio whispering as they ate. Erik would damn well not sit at the same table as Raoul while he made cow eyes at Fawn. Where were all those wild Indians when you needed one? Specifically Katherine's brother Matthew. The way Raoul was looking at Fawn, Matthew would be wearing Raoul's hair in no time. That thought pleased Erik a little too much considering he had decided his feud with that boy was all but redundant as he cared not what Christine did or did not do any longer. He would have excused himself but they would not have heard him or cared.

Christine seeing Erik heading down to the stables quickly excused herself. She saw her chance to speak with Erik. Maybe something could be salvaged out of this day. Arriving at the stable she stood in the open doorway squinting into the shadowy interior. Once her eyes became adjusted to the dimness she had no trouble finding Erik's tall figure leaning against one of the stall doors rubbing his hands over the horse while murmuring calming words.

Imagining those same hands running just as gently over her own body had Christine's breath quickening. She put her hand to her throat. She felt the warmth pooling in her lower abdomen and lower still. Christine clenched her legs together trying to ease the tension growing between her thighs. She quickly glanced behind her to make sure no one had followed her. She hoped to persuade Erik to finish what they had started the other night before Katherine had interrupted them. As much as she knew she loved and wanted Raoul she also knew that if she did not have Erik at least once she would wonder for the rest of her days what it would have been like. She knew he was a very experienced man now. The way he had made her feel all those years ago was nothing compared to what he could give her now that he new the way of a woman's body.

Her left hand drifted down clenching the front of her skirt just where the wetness was seeping from her arousal onto her undergarment. Just the anticipation of having him enter her almost brought her to climax.

"Erik." That sexually charged groan could not be hers. Christine began to unbutton her dress. Slipping the last button from its button hole seductively she parted the silky material to expose the next layer to be opened in her little strip tease. Next she unlaced the front stays of her corset. Christine stroked her hand over her neck and shoulders. She then untied her chemise. Parting the material she bared her breasts to his eyes. With slow alluring caresses she ran her hands over her breasts. Fingering the tips they puckered to tight buds. She saw the growing hardness in the front of his trousers.

Erik could not deny he desired her. Not with love but only lust. To take her with only lust would be an empty mating. Animals took pleasure without love, their goal to propagate. Humans should at least have some sort of caring for the other they would share intimacies with. He cared for Christine but what he felt for Katherine overshadowed that weak emotion.

Christine took the few remaining steps to reach Erik. "Touch me. Make love to me Erik." Grabbing his hand she placed it on her breast. Erik finally coming out of the sensual haze he had been in seeing a woman, Christine, standing only a few feet away doing what she had been doing was to say the least, damn arousing. A week ago before he admitted his true feelings for Katherine he would have had Christine down in the hay before she finished her first word.

He wanted no more misunderstandings with Katherine. He could find quick relief with Christine or have many such nights with Katherine who loved him even after seeing what was under the mask. She had not needed three years to make up her mind. She wanted him all of him. She wanted all of him with his many flaws and God knew there were many.

He wanted a woman who knew what she wanted and was not afraid to declare her feelings or show them. Christine would never have been completely his. He had not missed those quick longing looks she had given to Raoul. Christine was still in a sea of confusion being tossed about from one emotion to the other. One man to the other. Until she could find a steady footing she would continue to ride the sea of discontent.

Katherine had returned to the patio expecting to find Erik waiting for her. Glancing around she noticed that Christine was also not present. Putting two and two together it did not take much deduction to know that Christine and Erik were together. She was almost certain she could lay her life on the fact that if they were together it was not at Erik's instigation.

Katherine nonchalantly asked where Erik had gone. When they had told her he went to the stables she had smiled with her lips but her eyes promised dire consequences if Erik and Christine were doing anything other than carrying on an innocent conversation. If it were not for the fact that Christine was also absent Katherine herself would have been thinking of a few minutes alone lying in some fresh sweet hay with Erik. As it was the images flashing across her inner eye almost brought a fierce war cry from her lips. Gathering her skirts she left before anyone could object.

"Matthew shouldn't we go after her? If she comes upon...well if she sees...something, this could end badly." Emily's friend of years ago loved a good scrap now and then. This new Katherine was a whole other proposition. Emily could see her getting quite violent if the situation warranted it. In Emily's mind chasing another woman's man was an invitation to a good scrap.

"Katherine is a grown woman. If she sees…something…trust me Christine and Erik both will be the ones to suffer. Suffer greatly." Just thinking of the possibilities he chuckled. He had a feeling he would be disappointed though. Shadow Man was roped and tied whether he knew it or not. Either way this could be amusing. Once Katherine staked her claim nothing short of death would change her mind.

"Fawn should we perhaps go after Katherine?" Raoul cast worried eyes toward the stable. It surprised him how little it worried him for his own sake that Christine had followed Erik. He was concerned for Katherine in case anything of an intimate nature was to happen between Erik and Christine. He had his doubts but men were weak and Christine had been Erik's only interest for so long he could give in to his lust. Raoul smiled a bit maliciously as thoughts of Erik being beaten senseless by a crazed, jealous woman crossed his mind.

"Oh I would not worry too much Raoul. I have a feeling Katherine will be having a...conversation with Christine. If Erik has done anything he should not he might come away with less than he started with. If we hear blood curdling cries then there might be some concern. Otherwise I say let Katherine handle her man on her own." Pausing she had to ask the next question for her own sake.

"Raoul is it really completely over between you and Christine? Is your heart free? If not it will not matter. I will be with you for as long as you will have me. I am pretty sure I love you. I have never been in love before. I had never even kissed a man until you kissed me."

Raoul chuckled, "I kissed you? I seem to remember someone grabbing me, locking me in a headlock then kissing me as if there were no tomorrow. I love you Fawn. You do not need to commit to anything until you are ready. One rushed relationship is enough for any man."

"No Raoul, I want to say all that is in my heart, I am more sure about loving you than of anything in my life. I love you Raoul de Chagny."

If they were alone Raoul would have shown her with actions just how he felt for her. As it was he was limited to words and a squeeze to her hand by his own hand under the table. "Fawn I have nothing left for Christine other than fond memories of our first days together. At one time I thought we would be together forever. Forever for us was less than one year. The remainder of our years together has been platonic, friendly, at least some of the time. The last few years have been nothing short of just occupying the same residence with barely restrained dislike as our companion. I was a horribly unhappy man for so long until I accepted that Christine and I were over. I am not sure anymore we should ever have married in the first place. It would have hurt to loose her at that time, but in light of what happened later it would have hurt less and for a shorter time. Although if none of that had taken place I would never have met you. Now that, my love would have been a real tragedy. I love you." He took her hand his face creased with lines in the seriousness of the conversation.

"I have only ever said those words to one other woman. That ended in disaster. I thought I would never have those feelings again. That first day when I first say you, something wonderful happened. Something I thought to never experience again. I know it has only been a short time, but I am sure I love you also. If we were not surrounded by so many people I would show you just how much."

"Well, there are always the gardens on the other side of the house. I seem to remember a bench at the edge of the path."

"Well what the hell are we sitting here for? Pardon my language." Raoul was as excited as he had been as a child the morning of Christmas just before opening his presents. Fawn was a gift, a gift from God. She was his new beginning his second chance to find happiness.

"Yes what the hell are we waiting for?" Fawn grinned widely as she said her first curse word in English. Raoul took her hand. They walked sedately until they were out of site of everyone, then ran to the garden finding the bench secluded behind some very tall hedges. Barely had they reached the privacy they sought, before they were in each others arms kissing passionately.

Katherine was seething in the doorway of the barn. She had seen Christine put Erik's hand on her heaving breasts. She had also seen Erik pull them away. That fact alone would save him from some painful punishment later. Now, they were both just standing there looking at one another. Christine would be lucky if she came out of this with her hair attached. Katherine narrowed her eyes at Erik. Depending on his answer he just might be next. Only he would be missing more than his hair.

"Christine you are a vibrant and beautiful woman. For years you were the only person other than Nadir and Antoinette who I had any contact with. Really most of the time you were the only person I spoke with for weeks at a time. You were my whole life. You meant more to me than anything. Even my music. You were right to reject me. I would have killed any spirit in you within a short time. Your leaving forced me to leave my dark tomb. That is what it had become over time. A tomb that buried me, drained the life out of me daily. How could I ever expect to be a part of the world buried in the ground? You forced me to come to grips with my life. At the time I hated you for that equally as much as I loved you. The life I had under the opera house was no life at all. It was keeping me from finding any sort of real meaning in my life, any real happiness. It has taken all these years for me to grow from that pathetic man I was to who I am now. I am finally finding my way as a man."

"Erik you were never pathetic. You were wonderful. You were a musical genius. When I could no longer see you, hear you, I thought I would go crazy without you. I know you do not love me. I will expect nothing from you. Just give me this one time. I want your body joined with mine this one time. I shall never ask you again. I will never tell another soul. Please Erik give me this one time with you?" Christine stepped closer to him wrapping her arms around Erik's neck.

Before she could claim his lips he pulled her arms from around his neck. "No Christine. Katherine..."

Frantically Christine begged as she saw him slipping away from her, "Katherine need not know. No one would know. I know you want me. I felt your hardness against me. I still do." She lowered her hand to grab him in the palm of her hand. He was rock hard. He filled her hand going beyond her grip with his long length. She groaned as heat flashed through her centering between her legs.

Erik pushed her a little more roughly than before. "No Christine. I am a man. I cannot help how my body reacts when given such stimulus as you have given me. I can and will control how I deal with my body's reaction. Go back Christine. Go try to patch things up with Raoul, or whatever you wish to do. I am no longer available to be your Angel, your puppet to dangle from the ends of your fingers forcing me to dance to your tune. I care about you. I always will. I do not love you as a lover anymore. Go back to Raoul. Although from what I have seen you may have left it too late. As I said before I will always have a certain regard for you but Katherine holds my heart."

They both jumped guiltily when Katherine said, "Erik please leave Christine and I alone for a moment. We have much to discuss. We need to speak of things that would be better spoken of in privacy. Go on. We will return in a few minutes. _**Both of us**_." She emphasized that point to assure him as well as herself she did not have Christine's demise in her mind.

Going to Katherine he held her arms as he asked, "Are you certain Katherine? Nothing happened. I swear. Not even anything close to what...well what happened the last time. I would never do anything like that again. You have my heart. I...I love you." He took her face between his hands kissing her hungrily upon her welcoming mouth. Briefly she returned his kiss. Then she stepped back smiling at him. He breathed a sigh of relief. He had not lost her.

Before he left he softly reminded Katherine, "She is only a singer, a performer. Take that into consideration."

"Oh do not worry. I know exactly what type of person Christine is. She will soon know the same about me. Go on now. Christine and I have much to discuss."

Katherine folded her arms waiting until Erik had left before lowering her arms then beginning to step forward in Christine's direction. Katherine smiled when Christine took a couple of stumbling steps back almost falling to the barns dirt floor.

Once and for all Katherine wanted to make it perfectly clear to Christine that Erik was off limits to her. She would enjoy the method that she would use to make Christine aware of this. Yes indeed she would enjoy this very much.


	50. Chapter 49

**Chapter Forty-nine**

**Cat Fight or Flight**

Christine looked worriedly at Erik's retreating back. He did not even glance back at her once. Was he willing to leave her here with this savage? Well she certainly did not have to stay and listen to anything this heathen woman had to say.

Christine went to pass Katherine to follow Erik from the stables. Katherine had a fierce look in her eye. Christine had flashes of pictures she had seen in a dime novel a man had shown Raoul on the train. The drawings had been quite graphic. Christine's hand went to her hair. Katherine seeing the gesture smiled wickedly. It would not hurt for Christine to worry just a bit.

Katherine grabbed Christine's arm as she went to pass her. Once and for all things would be settled between them.

"Erik. Please wait. Erik." Erik was already halfway back to the patio. As much as he would love to see two women grappling around he thought perhaps Katherine might not appreciate his interest.

"Erik will not be helping you. No one will be coming to your aid. I think we should start by settling the issue of who Erik belongs to."

"Do you honestly think Erik would settle for a whore? You filthy savage you cannot keep me here against my will. What makes you think Erik would want anything other than a quick coupling with you? If you had not come we would be making love right now. He only went to you because he knew you were willing to lie on your back. Do not even try to compare what Erik and I have with your pagan attempts to couple with him. Do not think we have all not heard that you were the camp whore. What happened? Raoul turned you down because he has standards who he takes to his bed? Or did he already have you? You disgusted him already? You turned to Erik thinking he would not mind the whore of the camp in his bed as he is not perfect of face?"

Katherine was unbuttoning the little jacket she wore over her blouse. She removed it hanging it on a nail beside a stall door. She began to unbutton the sleeves of her blouse and roll them when she asked calmly, "Are you quite finished listing all my faults? Have you called me enough names? I suggest you loosen your clothing. It is easier to defend ones self if one can move freely.

"Whatever are you talking about? You are crazy. I shall simply call someone. I will not thrash about on the ground like a common gutter snipe. Only low class women engage in exchanging blows. You being a savage as well as a whore you would know all about that." Christine did not know how to stop her tongue. She was really frightened now. As she spoke Katherine grew still while her face hardened along with her eyes. She looked half wild.

Katherine paused for a moment with her fingers poised to loosen yet another button. "I am not a savage, at least not normally. You do bring that aspect out in me I must confess. As for the matter of calling me a whore, I should think you only have to look in the mirror to see one. Are you not married to one man while you throw yourself at another?"

Christine took an aggressive step forward then thought better of her action when she noticed the smile on Katherine's lips as well as the glint in Katherine's eye that seemed somewhat menacing.

"You should prepare yourself Christine. I am going to hit you quite hard and quite a number of times. The more you say the more retribution I will seek. I suggest you hold your tongue. Normally I would not warn an opponent of my attack. Since you are I suspect less able to defend yourself I have warned you of my intentions. Since I have no plan to kill you, at least not yet, I think it only fair to warn you. So make a choice. Face or stomach. If you do not make the choice I will."

Katherine advanced relentlessly toward Christine. Her hands were held firmly at her sides. She did not want to strike first. She would give Christine one unchecked attempt to strike her with a blow. Christine had better make it a good one for she would only get one shot that would not be defended against.

Christine began to panic. Never in her life had anyone threatened her with bodily harm, not even Erik. Only one time had he hurt her in a fit of anger, when she had removed his mask that first time had he shoved her to the side knocking her to the ground. He had not really hurt her even then. She had been more frightened by his anger than by anything he might do to her physically.

When Katherine was within a foot of Christine, in fear for her safety, Christine brought her hand up striking Katherine across the face. Christine watched in horror as a red handprint began to appear on Katherine's cheek.

Katherine's head jerked to the side with the force of the blow. Christine did not have any experience in defense nor did she have any particularly strong attributes of a violent nature. She did however have enough force to cause quite a stinging sensation in Katherine's cheek that only served to increase her anger toward Christine. Noting Katherine's darkening expression Christine began to fear for her life. She did regret her violent action. Too late she wished she had simply run although Christine could not help thinking nothing would have saved her from Katherine's wrath. The savage would simply have tackled the fleeing Christine to the ground.

Katherine refused to touch her cheek. She would not give Christine even that small gesture as sign that Christine had delivered any pain to her. "Thank you for that Christine. I had begun to wonder if I could actually use violence against you. You have made that decision so much easier."

Outside the barn was quiet. That quiet was shattered by a loud crash preceded by a shrill scream. More crashes were heard. More screams. These were more the screams of frustration or perhaps from hair being pulled or a feminine fist hitting an eye. Quite a bit of unladylike grunting and groaning could be heard as well as a few French insults that were wasted on Katherine.

Katherine did hold back somewhat. She had no wish to leave any lasting physical damage. She did want Christine to have a lasting reminder never to approach Erik again nor threaten Katherine.

Just as suddenly as it began the battle ended. Well there was a bit of rolling around on the ground with blows being given by one and useless swipes by another. Katherine knew how to dodge a blow, Christine did not.

Christine came out of the barn holding her hand over her eye. Her hair was sticking out all over the place. Torn fabric of her dress sleeve hung off her shoulder. She limped having lost a heel to her shoe in the scuffle. To further add to her misery she had to run the gauntlet of everyone on the patio. Her dignity would not allow her to skulk away to enter the house from another entrance. She would make Katherine pay. She would pay dearly.

Katherine came out carrying her jacket as she buttoned her sleeves. Her hair was a bit disheveled. There was an angry red scratch down one cheek. One hand had a full set of upper and lower teeth marks on the top and palm. Christine had bitten her hand. Other than that Katherine had no other injuries. She smiled as she mentally listed Christine's injuries. A split lip. An eye that would soon be black. A shoulder that would be bruised from having the arm bent behind her back. A few bruises to her stomach seemed enough for Katherine. After thoroughly thrashing Christine she had given her the warning that she should consider staying as far from Erik as she could. She would only speak to him when politeness dictated she had no other choice. At the theatre she would contact him about professional matters only. Katherine had staked her claim.

After grabbing two handfuls of Christine's collar as Katherine sat astride her stomach Christine was more than happy to agree to Katherine's request. For emphasis Katherine had waved her fist in front of Christine's already bruised face.

Everyone on the patio saw Christine approaching. Different degrees of shock registered on their faces. Others tried but could not hide their satisfaction. Fawn and Dove hid their grins behind their hands.

Matthew eyed Christine thinking that Katherine had gone easy on her. Erik must have had a good explanation for he had returned intact with a slight smile on his face. Not the face of a man who had just been bushwhacked by an irate woman. Matthew took a huge bite out of his sandwich to hide his blossoming grin.

Emily made no such concession. She openly smiled at Christine. She was so very tempted to stick her foot out and trip the witch. In fact her foot was on its way out to be placed in front of Christine when Matthew's much larger foot hooked itself around her ankle preventing her from placing her dainty foot in Christine's path.

"It is not your fight Emily. She has I think suffered enough. Now if she were to come after me I will gladly let you do as you please."

"Humph, if she dares to look at you cross-eyed for more than a few seconds she'll need more than a cold steak to put on her eye. I didn't spend my youth scrapping with every boy in the county just to gain their affections. I have some serious fighting skills too you know." To prove her point she raised both of her fists up in front of her. She sort of lost her train of thought when Matthew took each fisted hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on her knuckles as he looked deeply into her eyes over her hand. She couldn't have spoken another coherent word to save her soul.

Erik who had been staring off into the distance turned around in time to see Christine stepping onto the patio. Erik could not restrain the smile that pulled at the corners of his lips. Katherine had indeed gotten some nice shots in the little skirmish. Once again Erik cursed not being able to see the two women fighting. Fighting over him. Good God Almighty had the whole world gone crazy? If it had Erik could only thank the man on high for the blessed insanity that had ensued. Christine catching his eye giving him a pitiful look forced Erik to turn his back. It would not be prudent or intelligent to allow Katherine to catch him commiserating with Christine over her wounds as Katherine had given them to Christine as a warning to stay away from Erik. He smiled just a little maliciously when he heard Christine huff in annoyance then stomp her little foot.

"Christine, are you alright? What has happened? Did you fall? Do you need some assistance?" Meg was concerned. What had happened? First Erik had come from the stables and now Christine came trailing behind looking the worse for wear. Christine looked…the light of knowledge lit within Meg's lagging brain. There had been a scuffle between Katherine and Christine. It had completely flown out of Meg's mind that earlier she had been concerned about just such an occurrence. She was just the tiniest bit ashamed she had forgotten her friend while in Nadir's company. In the distance she saw Katherine coming from the same direction Christine and Erik had returned to the patio. Things began to add up. Well, she had warned Christine to tread carefully. She had meant with Erik. Perhaps she should have warned her about Katherine as well.

Meg went to stand to follow Christine but Nadir took her elbow before she could take a step. "I think perhaps Mrs. Graham might be the best person for Christine for the moment. She can soothe her wounds as well as soothe her dented pride. Besides I have discovered I am a selfish man. I do not wish to share you with anyone today. I hope I am not being too bold or too possessive."

Meg sat back down in her seat giving Nadir a radiant smile. "Not at all. I like a man who can show how he feels for a woman. Not that I have so much experience in that area. It is nice to know you wish to have my company as much as I wish to have yours. Perhaps we are both selfish." Meg did not seem to mind this fact in the least.

Christine stomped in the French double doors. Heading for the kitchen she seethed in embarrassment and anger. _**That heathen will pay for this. What can Erik possibly see in someone so beneath him? Raoul is hardly any better. All but drooling over that squaw. It was a disgrace. The first time Raoul angers her she will more than likely scalp him or slit his throat as he sleeps. I would never have believed Raoul would lower his standards so far. I suppose in the dark any woman will do. It has been a long time since we have made love. He must be feeling frustrated. I shall have to see what I can do about that as well.**_

Christine found Mrs. Graham in the kitchen who tsked at her injuries. Behind Christine's back she smiled happily. Raising her arms she had to restrain herself from doing a little jig. Christine went to the sink to pump some water into a glass. She turned back around to face Mrs. Graham. Facing Christine again Mrs. Graham commiserated with the young woman putting on her most sympathetic face she could muster under the circumstances.

"Katherine has behaved in a most unladylike fashion. You should speak with her. Why I could press charges against her. Send her to jail." Christine's eyes glinted with the prospect of Katherine behind bars. Then the field would be clear for her with Erik and Raoul. Well there was Fawn but a word in the right ear could solve that problem.

"Yes Miss Katherine showed ill chosen behavior. Poor girl has been under such a strain you know. What with one thing and another. The new opera is being presented soon is it not? I understand you have won the leading role. What a shame to lose that position."

"Why? What have you heard?" Christine began to panic. She simply could not lose this chance. It would be a dream come true to perform one of Erik's compositions again. To sing the notes he had written. Nothing could stand in the way of that. Nothing at all, not even her own carnal pleasures.

"Oh well, you don't suppose Miss Katherine would still be letting you perform on a stage she owns now do you? No, I dare say that nice young understudy would have to take over. Miss Katherine said she was quite good." Mrs. Graham wondered if she had always had this vicious streak or if Christine brought it out in her.

"Erik," Christine said with sudden hopeful inspiration.

"Erik would not allow anything to compromise his opera. His music is too important to him. He will not let Katherine release me," Christine finished smugly.

"I do dare say he would put up a fuss. Shame really. I don't suppose Miss Katherine will be keeping you on should something happen. She does own the majority shares of the theatre. I can see by your shock you were not aware of this. Well not many outside the financial circles know. A woman in control of things is not unheard of but not encouraged either. Still she does own fifty-one percent. Even if Mr. Erik were to get dear Hayden to vote with him, which I doubt, Mr. Fontaine would not have controlling interest. Dear Hayden, why he only owns three shares. As I said it will be such a shame."

From the worried look on Christine's face Mrs. Graham was pretty sure no complaints would be filed with the authorities. Mrs. Graham thought she should feel bad for manipulating Christine in that way. Using Christine's fear against her in that way had been shameful, simply shameful. As hard as Mrs. Gamm tried she could find not one speck of remorse. Her conscience was still crystal clear and her soul snowy white.

As soon as Katherine hit the first stone of the patio she detoured to where Erik was standing with his back to everyone with his hands in his pockets.

She lifted her skirts as if heading into battle. The look in her eye only added to that impression. Fire sparked in Katherine's eyes. That man would know without a doubt who he would be sharing kisses or any other intimacies with from now on. Katherine breezed by everyone without so much as a by your leave or a hello.

Katherine made a beeline toward Erik. She would first take Erik to the outside pump and wash away all traces of Christine from Erik's body. Then Katherine would be branding him with her own lips. That man would soon know for sure who he belonged to if he did not already. She thought he did but she would leave no room for doubts.


	51. Chapter 50

**Chapter Fifty**

**Farewells and Final Good-byes**

The rest of the afternoon everyone stayed close to the ones they cared for who would be going on this perilous journey. When the sun began to creep upon the horizon toward late afternoon couples drifted into private little corners where whispers were exchanged.

The men tried to reassure the women they would be extremely careful. No one any losses to occur but all knew it to be a fact that the odds were someone would be injured or even killed. There were too many things that could not be calculated to make an equation with any certainty of its outcome.

All they could do was pray for success. All who stayed behind would pray continuously for the safe return of everyone.

The women wanted to be brave, so they did not let one tear fall while in the presence of the one who would be carrying their heart with them on this journey. There would be plenty of time later to give way to womanly tears.

As the time for departure slowly approached restlessness seemed to settle in everyone. Protests had to be held back. There could be no begging for them to reconsider. Too much was at stake. The hour came when they would begin to make their way toward the destiny that fate had decreed they would follow.

Everyone retreated to the stables to begin saddling the horses. The women looked on with worry and fear. Katherine had excused herself so she could change clothes. Matthew hardly noticed nor did he reply. His mind was on the days ahead.

Christine remained in the background. She longed to hold Raoul once more since Erik was lost to her. As she saw Raoul take Fawn's hands in his then bring them to his lips she thought her heart had stopped. What a mess she had made of things. Why could she not stop until she lost everything? What was it that was inside her making her do such self-destructive things? She knew that if she did not come to grips with whatever demons she had lurking inside herself, she would end up with no one. Even Meg had been cool with her after the incident earlier in the barn. Meg had not even been concerned for Christine's injuries nor made any inquiries. God if she lost even Meg what then?

Hayden took her aside to kiss her with more fervency than Christine could feel toward him. She did not want to hurt him so she had to summon some tenderness for him. He really was a sweet and caring man. He just could not be the man Christine wanted.

Fawn and Raoul stood close together holding hands while whispering. Their relationship had only just begun and now they would be parted. They both hoped it would not be for long.

Darius placed Dove in front of him then turned his back toward everyone else. Looking at his back no one would know a woman stood in front of him. Darius took her hands and brought them to his lips. He kissed each one tenderly.

Nadir and Meg had separated a little from the others. Meg worried that he might not make it back in time for her baby. Nadir had chided her that they would be home long before that event. Meg could not say she feared he would not come back at all so she settled for voicing an absurd objection such as he should have a hat. A man on a horse needed a hat. He simply could not go without a hat. Nadir pulled her behind a bale of hay so he could bid her a proper farewell. After all this would have to sustain him for quite some time.

Everyone had said their farewells and a few discreet tears were shed.

Supplies were checked then rechecked. There would be no corner grocers to run to when something would be needed.

The last item under discussion had been the weapons. The men could admire their beauty while deploring the need for them. The women simply did not want their loved ones anywhere near such dangerous objects. Why could things not be settled with a game of cards or some sort of competition? Those were irrational thoughts to the men but utterly sensible to the women.

Hayden had baulked when Erik had shown them the rifles earlier. He refused to take one. He had his hand gun and would use it if it came down to his life over another but he would not carry a rifle to shoot against his own people, the army no less.

Matthew had no such compunction. He picked a Winchester to examine. Rifles just like this one killed many of his people. Defenseless women and children. It was said it would win the west. For Matthew it represented the death knell for his people. The only hope they had was to obtain these weapons to fight back.

The time came to leave. Katherine had already gone inside and changed into some borrowed trousers and a man's shirt. Leaving the house she went to the stables where she knew everyone would be. Matthew seeing how she was dressed cursed then proceeded to speak rapidly in his native language.

"Katherine you are not going. I thought that was understood."

"I am going. You will need me. One woman among only men will not be comfortable even if she knew everyone. What if something happens? Something requiring a woman's hand? Besides if we have to split up you will need another person who knows how to read tracks as well as avoid anyone following us. Not one of the others is familiar with any of this territory. Face it brother. You need me. Besides I am the only other person who speaks Apache. Lone Wolf you have taught me well. You know I am right."

In frustration Matthew turned to Erik to plead in English, "Please tell her she must stay. This is too dangerous. If you care for her convince her to stay."

Erik shrugged his shoulders in resignation. He had known Katherine would go no matter what objections they may have. He did not like it but he had resigned himself to her accompanying them. He would protect her with his last breath if need be. "Katherine is a strong minded woman. Would it not be better to have her beside us where we know she is safe rather than trailing after us alone? We both know she would be on a horse before we got a mile away. I too would rather she remain but I am a realist. At least lately I am."

Throwing his hands up in the air Matthew continued to curse in his native tongue as well as English. He knew he had lost that argument but he continued to release his frustrations with loud curses until he felt he could sit astride his horse without spooking the animal that would sense his agitation.

The men gravely mounted as the women stood and watched them leave. Scenes such as this had been repeated throughout history. The men going off to do battle while the women stayed at home to keep the hearth fires burning.

They solemnly traveled speaking little. Everyone had concerns about what would take place on the evening of the next day. The most dangerous part of their quest would begin. Matthew and Katherine would be in the most danger. Once they had their quarry everyone then would be placed in danger.

With every mile they traveled Erik's unease grew. That tingle in his spine had been telling him all his life when disaster would strike. He had only ignored it one time and the result had been the burning of the opera house in France.

He did not feel the warning to be for himself. He could not get the feeling out of his gut that his worry involved Katherine.

He reinforced his vow to protect her with his life if that was what it took to keep her safe. Erik only knew that he could not lose her now. To lose her would be to lose himself in a way he had not when Christine left him. That had been devastating at the time. To lose Katherine his soul would literally wither and die.He knew now one did not die literally just because of lost love but it could feel as if one had indeed died. The effect on ones body and mind left you feeling dead inside wishing for the actual end.

He had recovered from Christine but he did not think he could recover if he lost Katherine. When he and Katherine were together it was as if they breathed in unison. They were one soul one heartbeat. What affected one affected the other.

Erik had to fight against the urge to grab Katherine forcing her to go back with him. This unease he had been feeling increased his inclination to flea with her. She would not forgive him but at least he would know she would be safe. Watching her proud posture in the saddle he knew he could not take her away from what he knew would be a dangerous task that might end up with her being injured or worse.

He must keep his eye on her as best he could. He knew Matthew would rather die than let anything happen to her but sometimes even the most innocent of souls were taken from us with no one being able to prevent it.

Erik had never prayed so hard in his life for anything as hard as he prayed for Katherine's safety.

Katherine rode beside Erik as they left heading west for Fort Lee. The ones left behind had watched until they could no longer see the retreating figures. The same thought tormented each one of them. None would give voice to what thoughts tortured their minds. To give voice to their fears might invite the very thing they feared to happen. Who will come back? Will any of them come back?

The solemn group rode with only short stops to allow the horses to freshen before they moved on. The sun was just a few hours from setting when they were within ten miles of the fort. They set up camp. There would be no fires. Supper would be hard tack and a few biscuits, washed down with water.

Matthew and Katherine had made the decision to be Lone Wolf and White Eagle until they returned to the white world at least to one another. It would be too confusing for the others. This would begin the process to go back into that world. It was easier for Lone Wolf as he had not been Matthew but for only three or four years when he was a toddler. He supposed that really he had never shed the part of him that was Lone Wolf. White Eagle had been Katherine for twelve years. It was easy for her to think of herself as that person.

Nadir and Hayden had split away from them a few miles back. Lone Wolf had given them the map Andrew had drawn for them that would take them to his mother's house. They should be there by midday tomorrow if they rode steadily the whole of the next day. Within a few days Lone Wolf and the others should be joining them in Georgia if nothing happened to delay them. Nadir being a resourceful fellow had brought along a compass. If they got lost at least they could find their way back east.

The men gravely said their good-byes wishing one another good luck. No one would voice the thought out loud that perhaps this would be the last time all of them were together. All too easily thoughts of death entered their minds. How could it not be in the forefront of everyone's mind at this moment when in less than twenty-four hours they would face death unflinchingly?

After he could be sure everyone had moved on Nadir stopped his mount turning him to face back the way they had come. He could see the others getting smaller and smaller as the distance between them increased.

Silently he wished his two close friends a safe journey. They were more than friends, they were his family. His only family. What would he do if…no he would not even think like that. He had to think positively. Negative thoughts brought about negative actions.

He turned his mount around then with one last look over his shoulder he kicked his mount so that he could catch up with Hayden who had stopped only a few hundred yards ahead of him.

Together they headed toward Captain Andrew's ancestral home. Hopefully, God and Allah willing everyone would be reunited there with everyone in one piece.

**A/N: Kind of short I know compared to my usual chapter but I might post another tonight if I get home in time and enough readers have caught up. **


	52. Chapter 51

**Chapter Fifty-one**

**Heroic Quest**

The solemn group rode with only short stops to allow the horses to freshen before they moved on. The sun was just a few hours from setting when they were within a couple of miles of the fort. They set up camp working in unison as if they had done so all of their lives. there would be no fires. Supper would be hard tack and a few biscuits washed down with water.

Once camp was set up Matthew told them he was going to scout the area near the fort to get an idea of the lay of the land in the surrounding area. He wanted to see the pens and where they were located outside the fort. Matthew remembered well the ones inside the fort. It angered him that so many had been captured that more pens had to be set up outside the fort to hold them all, even if it was only a temporary holding pen.

Matthew wanted to ride in as closely as he could so he could make sure where Raging Bear was located. Moon Shadow was supposed to be right beside him. White Katherine had offered to go with him. Matthew said no. This time she did not argue. Katherine knew if her brother was caught the others would need her to get them to safety.

Matthew arrived at the top of a slight incline. Leaving his horse down below so it would not be seen, he crawled on his belly until he was in a position to see the whole area. One could not miss the pens crowded with people. Using the field glasses he looked first at the gates to see how many guards were there. They could have added more since they had spoken to Andrew. They might also have moved Raging Bear and Moon Shadow.

The guards were as they should be. Moving the direction of his gaze he found Raging Bear in the pen farthest from the fort. That was convenient. He wondered if Andrew had arranged that or if luck played a part in things. He did not know what Moon Shadow looked like. There was a young woman beside him. That must be her. Lone Wolf was about to leave when he spotted a small little girl sitting between Moon Shadow and the woman next to her. Lone Wolf's gut clenched. Continuing his perusal he saw many young children as well as some elders. The infants not yet old enough to survive without the care of their mother would more than likely not make the complete journey. The young would only survive with the care of their mother's. They would only survive while life held their mother's bound to this earth. Along the way their spirits would join those of their ancestors.

He knew it would be hard to be so close to his people while he was forced to leave so many behind. Many he knew would soon be dead. Why must children suffer the ignorance of their elders? The children had no hate born in them. They were an unmarked piece of hide. One that had no story. Adults fed them with hate as they wrote their story on the hide that belonged to them and their family. Would this hate ever die? Matthew would like to think his children would live in a different world. A better world. A world where it would not get him killed or beaten to use his Indian name, Lone Wolf.

Matthew did not return directly to camp. He wanted to scout the surrounding area to within a mile radius of where they were camped. He did not want any surprises in the form of a wagons carrying settlers to cross their path or the many buffalo hunters and miners roaming the area.

After riding a short distance he saw the telltale disturbance in the grass. Pulling his horse to a stop he dismounted to have a closer look. Wagon wheel marks were clearly discernable in two distinct trails. The grass had not dried and wilted yet so they could not be far behind where Matthew and the others had camped. The horse droppings still looked fresh so they had to have passed this way within a few hours. Looking back the way he had come he estimated that he and the others were approximately in the middle of the fort and the wagon train. He saw places in the grass that a path had been walked down by human feet. They would stop soon with so many walking.

Since there were only two wheel trails with little deviation the train must not be great in number or there would be more than the two tracks. It looked as if perhaps five or six had passed through. He could only estimate the number of people walking. He thought perhaps twenty.

Looking toward the sky Matthew figured they would be stopping to set up camp soon. They would want to have everything set up long before dark.

They would be starting fires. With numerous fires burning Matthew felt it would be safe to have their own fire back at camp. Soldiers would not worry about so many fires. Indians traveling in small groups did not have fires especially so close to the fort. More than likely the fort had received a telegram informing them to be on the lookout for this small band of travelers.

Matthew remounted and searched until he found the camp of the settlers. He counted perhaps forty people. Among them many children. Matthew said a silent prayer that their path did not cross with any of the braves still in this area. They did not look as if they had a wagon master. They were more than likely just poor farmers who had banded together searching for a better life.

Just before the sun went down Matthew returned. His face was grim.

Katherine understood his mood. It had to be hard to look at his people penned like animals, knowing he was only going to save two when there were so many needing to be saved. Perhaps some would take the chance for escape on their own in the few minutes the guards were disabled. The weaker ones had no chance of this. Only the strong would make it if they did try to escape. The stronger ones even on foot would have a better chance of survival free in the wilderness rather than penned up then shipped by train to the swamplands of Florida.

Matthew had told them about the wagons. He told them it would be safe to have a fire.

Raoul promptly asked Katherine for a match since they had used his only two on the cigars they were not allowed to smoke.

Katherine had told him there would be no need for matches if they had any which they did not. Why waste a match when there were two perfectly good sticks anyway. Katherine gave Raoul a few quick basic lessons. When she asked if he wanted her to do it he informed her that it was simply a matter of friction. One just had to know how to do it that was all.

Raoul squatted down then began to rub his hands on the one stick that stood with one end poked in a hole dug out in the other. Twenty minutes later Raoul stood cursing while he blew on his red and sore hands. The only thing close to burning and catching fire had been his hands.

Erik had laughed quite heartily enjoying Raoul's' little tantrum as well as his failure. Ruffled and just a bit put out Raoul challenged Erik to have a go if he thought it would be so easy.

After only ten minutes Erik stood cursing a blue streak then promptly broke the sticks in half. He declared them defective.

Raoul laughed until his sides ached. He declared the only thing defective had been Erik's fire starting skills. Erik scowled threatening dire consequences if he did not curtail his mirth.

Matthew had calmly taken out two rocks from his pouch. Squatting down he gathered a bit of dried grass. Placing the rocks close to the grass he struck them perhaps five or six times. Soon there was a plumb of smoke curling up from the dried bits of grass.

Raoul, Erik and Darius collected bits of dead wood. Darius did not miss a chance to rub it in that neither one had been successful as fire starters. For once Erik and Raoul were in agreement when they asked where the hell was he when they had been making fools of themselves.

Darius had calmly replied sitting back watching two fools entertain him until a real master of fire showed his talent. As they both puffed up with indignant pride with comments about them not seeing him offer to help.

Darius nonchalantly pulled out a small box filled with matches and lit one. Noting there incredulous open mouthed stares he blew out the match then turned to head back to camp with an armload of wood.

Erik and Raoul shouted after him that he was a sadistic evil bastard to which Darius conceded he might have been a bit sadistic and evil but as far as he had been aware his parents were wed before his conception and birth. So unless they knew something he had not been aware of he definitely was not a bastard. He laughed all the way back to camp while Erik and Raoul followed muttering any number of uncomplimentary slurs to Darius' retreating back.

Once the fire had took hold they sat around eating the warmed bread and meat. Not the world's most palatable meal but it would sustain them. They sat around discussing the best way to make the rescue as safe as possible without having to resort to killing anyone. If the time came Matthew wondered if any of the others could shoot their own kind. A man wearing a uniform sworn to protect them should not have to defend himself against his own people. Could they take that final irredeemable step? Katherine might as she had seen first hand the suffering of Matthew's people. Katherine to a certain degree became one of them. Not born as one of them but she had become a part of the tribe when she had defended all those women that day at the river.

Erik, Raoul, and Darius played cards most of the day. When they lit up big, fat cigars, Katherine told them to douse them as the smell would carry in the wind. Anyone used to the smells of the outdoors could smell anything in the air that was out of the ordinary. They opted to just chew the ends a choice which vaguely disgusted Katherine. She was glad Erik did not care for tobacco or at least not as a general rule. She had seen him smoke before but only rarely did he indulge. Mostly he smoked when he had some troubling thought he needed to work through. He did like his liquor though. Not to excess, but he did appreciate the finer points of the alcoholic beverages.

Katherine was content to watch the men play cards. Matthew had felt he needed to commune with the spirits in quiet contemplation so he had taken himself off to the nearby woods.

Erik won so often the others would have accused him of cheating had they not known that was beneath him or had they not been aware Erik might kill them for the accusation. Katherine watched Erik closely. His demeanor never changed from hand to hand or card to card. The others she observed had little differences when there cards were what they wanted. Certain slight gestures if it were positive while little movements told of a hand not to their liking. If she was aware of this she had no doubt Erik knew of it as well. He was reading the other players reactions and playing accordingly.

Matthew had told them all he had seen. The sadness warred with the anger in his eyes. Katherine felt those emotions as well. Those people in the pens had been her people for many years. She had shared good times as well as the hardships with them. She was a white woman by birth, but a small part of her would always be Apache. Her ties with Matthew, Fawn and Dove could not be broken. Their bonds were as strong as any family tied by blood. In her case her adopted family held more regard for her welfare than her own flesh and blood.

Matthew decided Katherine did indeed need to go with him. She spoke his language. He would need her to help with the woman. None of the others knew his night calls. Katherine would know what each sound meant. Different nocturnal animal sounds would be used to communicate as they approached the pens from two separate directions. Matthew would watch from one side while Katherine watched the other. When all was clear they would meet at the pen containing Raging Bear.

Erik was the one making the objections this time. He did not mind Katherine coming along just as long as she stayed well away from the danger. He had thought she would be staying with the horses. Losing his argument he stomped about the camp for some fifteen minutes. Everyone stayed well away from him. Erik in this mood was a danger to anyone or anything getting in his way. Several small trees had suffered from his stomping feet. He kicked the small saplings out of his way grinding them under his boot.

When he simmered down Katherine took his hand to lead him away from the others. She would try to sooth his fears. She assured him she would not take any risk that was not necessary. Erik was not calmed with her words. The only thing that would satisfy him was for her to stay behind.

A few kisses temporarily took his mind away from the reason for his anger. When he had calmed down from his anger and was feeling a different sort of agitation, Katherine spoke to him about what she had to do. In the end she did make him understand, but he still did not like the plan. She promised she would be careful, he promised to protect her. A promise he made with the intention of keeping it no matter what he had to do. Fate had other plans. Sometimes promises are broken without our consent or intention. Things happen beyond our control. Erik's promise would be broken before the second rising of the sun.

The sun went down in a slower descent it seemed to the watchers. With nothing to do bedrolls were laid down. Saddles were used as pillows. Erik pulled out his fluffy little pillow. He became aware that the other men planned to use their saddles for pillows. He did not want to seem less hardy than the other men. He stuffed his pillow back into his saddle bag. He hoped no one had seen it.

He wanted Katherine to sleep close to him. Hell, he admitted to himself he wanted her to share the same bedroll. He supposed that would not be happening with others around. Her brother with his eagle eyes would skin him. Erik foresaw a very restless night. Still not being completely comfortable around others, especially when sleeping, Erik made his makeshift bed just at the edge of the light from the fire.

Erik still had nightmares occasionally. When he did he was very restless. Fearing his mask might come off during a restless night he felt it better to always be cautious. He would just allow himself to dose off, not fall into a deep sleep. Settling down facing the fire Erik closed his eyes willing his mind and body to relax. Tomorrow would be a long day with everyone worrying about the possibility of things going wrong the next evening.

He was just on the verge of sleep when he felt someone climb under the covers with him. If this was not Katherine someone was going to die. Die quite painfully. He felt a hand glide around his waist onto his stomach. His own hand covered the obviously soft feminine hand of Katherine. He squeezed with just the tiniest bit of pressure.

Katherine turned her hand so they were palm to palm. After returning the gentle pressure of his hand she removed her hand from his grasp. He protested when she reached for his mask taking it in her hand in preparation to removing it from his face.

"Turn to me. No one will see you but me. I want skin not leather caressing my face as we kiss."

Erik rolled over quickly to face her then asked in a playful tone, "So you think you get a kiss?" He who would have crawled on his hands and knees for one kiss from the undeserving Christine at one time

he was teasing Katherine about presuming to get kissed.

"Oh yes I am quite sure of it." She gave him no more time for thought or conversation. She whipped his mask off reaching behind her to place it on the blanket. Bringing her hand back around she used it to pull his face closer so she could kiss him as she had wanted to do all day. She was no longer unskilled in the art of kissing. Erik had proved to be an excellent teacher. A fact she thought she might question some time in the future. For now she was happy to enjoy his experience. They had not gone to the next step in intimacy. The final step that would make her his completely while at the same time bind him to her in commitment.

When the kiss began to spiral out of control Erik pulled back. The familiar quaking had begun in his body. Not the quaking of pleasure tremors but tremors resulting from sheer terror. Erik would never admit to a living soul that Katherine terrified him with the intensity of his feelings. The fact that she was completely innocent only added to his unease. What if he committed some act that left her feeling only disgust? What if he hurt her so badly then left her with no pleasure to sooth that pain? Did virgins feel the same pleasures experienced women did? There were a thousand and one _**what ifs**_.

This was not the time to try to find those answers. Nor was this the time or place to let his desires rule his head. The one on his shoulders or the one in his trousers.

"Katherine we must not go any further. Not that I do not wish to, but the others are quite close. From our last encounter I fear our sounds of lust may get out of hand. They might not be appreciated by the others. We still have to look everyone in the eye in the morning. Matthew may just seek to take my scalp." Erik's voice sounded grating to his own ears. Where had the suave lover he had become gone the moment he decided to pursue Katherine? He felt like a fumbling untried youth. He hoped to God she did not notice. It was bad enough he knew of his nervousness.

"Not even..."Katherine drew close to his ear to whisper her request. Erik stiffened to hear such wicked things whispered in his ear from such sweet, innocent lips.

Praying to God no one saw him bolt up from his blankets Erik bent to grasp Katherine's hands. He pulled her up to stand in front of him. When he was sure she could stand steadily he released her hands to bend down to pick up his blankets. His mask was forgotten as he shook the blanket. It laid there by his saddle an empty eyehole staring blindly out at the world. Taking Katherine's hand he led her to the trees just beyond the camp. He didn't go far. He only wanted a little distance and a few trees surrounding them for privacy.

His desires temporarily won out over his nervous reaction being close to Katherine instilled in him each time he was close to her.

Laying the blanket on the ground he then turned to Katherine. The ground seemed to be moving for he felt himself vibrating. It was somewhat surprising to find it was only him that was shaking. His whole body was trembling. He hoped he did not make a fool of himself. His shaking fingers released the buttons of her shirt with slow jerky movements and with shaking hands at the end of which were clumsy fingers. Katherine had nothing on under the shirt other than a camisole. Praising her forethought for not wearing anything under the shirt but a silky camisole Erik turned his attention to the buttons of her trousers. Katherine's hands were not idle. Soon nothing was between them but air as they lowered themselves down as one kissing passionately all the way to the blanket.

Stretching out alongside Katherine Erik let his hands travel over her warm skin. He felt her shiver. Or perhaps it was him. He took her lips in a searing kiss. She was so eager to respond to him each time he touched her. Not once had she denied him this pleasure. Letting his hand trail down between her thighs he soon found what he sought to tease with his fingers. He stroked her little bud.

"Erik. Oh Erik what is it that you do to me? I know this is only the beginning. If this feels so good what will it be like when you are deep inside me?" Katherine blushed at her bold words. She tucked her face into his neck. Her mouth could not resist kissing him. Her tongue flicked against his skin. Wanting to give him greater pleasure she searched down his body until she found his hard shaft.

His groan brought a smile to her lips. It pleased her that she could give him this. Someday she would give him everything. She felt him stroke her a couple of quick drags of his finger. A loud groan escaped her mouth before she could stop it. Erik clamped his mouth to hers to still the groan before it reached full force.

"Shhh, little cat unless you want everyone to know you are being pleasured in the woods by a man so hard with longing he may explode?" To prove the truth of his words he ground his hips against her as she held him in her hand.

"Oh Erik I am so close. Why does it feel like a pleasure and a pain at the same time?" As her peak approached Katherine stroked his hard flesh in her hand. Neither Katherine nor Erik had gone down below the waist with their mouths when they shared intimacies. Katherine had snuck into the barn to read some of the books and periodicals the stable hands hid behind the hay when she knew she wanted to be intimate with Erik. When Katherine had decided she was in love with Erik and they had shared that first intimacy she had gone searching in the barn until she found those books. She had overheard Matthew threatening one of the stable boys to be sure to keep his filth where innocent eyes could not see such things. Now that they were sharing intimacies she wanted to please him. He had been with many lovers. She had not even been kissed by another man.

The books while being shocking were very informative. At least what she had been brave enough to read had given her ideas, which at the time had only been the titles on each page with quick glances at the illustrations. The pictures were even more informative. Katherine could not imagine a woman or man allowing such pictures to be taken let alone put in a book for the entire world to see. She did not mind Erik looking at her but she would never let anyone else see her as she let Erik see her.

Hoping she did not disgust him she trailed her lips down over his chest to his stomach then on down. When her lips met his hard flesh she thought he was going to jump up and run away his body jerked so hard. His hips lifted a good three inches off of the blanket. Now it was Erik groaning with loud abandon. Katherine put her hand over his mouth to still his husky growl. The others would have good reason to think a wild animal was close to camp if they heard him growling in his pleasure. When he had regained his composure she once again brought him into her mouth. Not really knowing what to do beyond this she waited for inspiration to strike. She wished she had been more courageous and read the words that went with the pictures.

Erik took the matter into his own hands. He put a hand to either side of her head to hold her in position as he moved within her mouth. Katherine stroked him with her tongue. Beginning to realize he wanted her to stroke up and down his length she began to move of her own accord. Erik quickened his movements as he neared his moment to expel his seed.

A couple of flicks of Katherine's tongue brought him over the brink. His muscles gathered and bunched his whole body strained in the intensity of pleasure her mouth had given to him. Erik lay still not able to move in the euphoric aftermath. If an enemy wanted to conquer him now was the opportune moment. He could not move to save his life. Katherine discreetly spit. It crossed her mind perhaps she was not supposed to do something frowned upon by most people especially where women were concerned. That was a question she would not tackle just yet. Besides that was a little faux paux compared to the intimacies she had shared with Erik. Those she would not be ashamed of no matter if they were proper or not. They were private matters so it was no one else's business what she and Erik did.

Regaining his breath along with his ardor Erik sat up leaning over Katherine. Erik's nervous shakes had returned. Realizing his hands were shaking again he tried to still their trembling. Why did this woman make him feel as if all of this were something new? He had not trembled like this since Christine. With Susan he had been nervous but he did not remember shaking like a leaf in the wind. Well on second thought he had but not as much as he did now. His mouth always seemed to go dry just as he went to speak to her. He could remember when he was just in his teens he felt like this whenever any female was close to him. Even when they had no idea he was hiding in the shadows he still became nervous.

Idly he placed his hand on her stomach. He longed to taste her. Gliding his hand down, soon his fingers were tangled in her curls. He let his hand linger atop those tight curls. He placed his middle finger between her folds. Gently he stroked her. Swallowing the lump in his throat he asked, "May I?" Perhaps he should have asked before he invaded her and perhaps he should have been more clear what he wanted but those two words took all the moisture from his mouth. He hoped she would know what he wanted.

Katherine pulled his head down until she could cover his lips with hers. Running her lips across his cheek she whispered, "Yes. Kiss me. Kiss me...everywhere." That was as close as Katherine could get to asking him to pleasure her as she had done to him.

Erik kissed her once more on her lips before he trailed his lips down her body leaving hot ripples behind each kiss. He kissed her puckered nipples. Erik nipped the tips with his teeth then soothed with his tongue. Her skin quivered in anticipation of the ecstasy to come with the first touch of his tongue. If it was anything close to what he had already given her with his hand Katherine was unsure if she could stand any more. At this moment she felt as if she might crawl out of her skin. How was it possible to feel as if one were burning yet not be on fire?

Using his fingers to part her Erik kissed her in the most intimate of kisses a man and woman can exchange. He had done this many times with other women. Not one of those women was as important to him as Katherine was. Erik wanted to make this special for her. It was her first time he knew without having to ask. Each new touch he offered her brought forth such sounds of surprise quickly followed by moans and cries of pure ecstasy.

With slow strokes at first Katherine begged for her release when she could no longer take the mounting waves spreading out from her very core he touched with his tongue. Gasping in her pleasure Katherine moved her hips in an unconscious undulating motion against his stroking tongue.

"Please Erik. Please now. Oh God now." When great waves rushed over her she had to hold back the cries of fulfillment cascading over her. She had no control over her nails digging into the skin of his shoulders. Her climax lasted a mere half minute but it seemed to go on forever. Little aftershocks rippled even as her heartbeat began to return to normal. The spasmodic tremors at last settled and faded away. Katherine felt as if her very being had left her body. She was a shell. Erik had sent her to heaven without her having to die to get there.

Erik rejoined her to lay by her side. He did not want to seem if he was seeking praise but he wanted to know if it was what she wanted as well as what she needed. Perhaps what he really needed to know was if he had left her disappointed in any way or if she was completely satisfied. The latter seemed more likely. He should not be insecure about his prowess, but he was. With her, he was.

"Are you happy?" Happy, that is the best he could come up with? How innocuous that word was compared to how he had wanted to make her feel. He lazily caressed her as he spoke. It would seem his hands had a mind of their own where touching her was concerned. He was quite certain he could not remove his hand from her skin for anything less than the treat of death. He could not come to grips with what it was about her that was different than any other woman. Why did she make him feel this way? He had always thought Christine held the whole of his heart in her hands. Katherine with little effort breached the wall he had built around his heart as a protective shield. He had known her for a shorter time than he had known Christine. Each minute of his time with Katherine seemed precious, vital to his wellbeing. Even when he had been denying how he truly felt, he had always been looking forward to the next time he would see her.

"Umm." Katherine felt far too lethargic to utter more. She knew without a doubt she could not move just yet. Erik had drained her of her vitality.

Well that was not a very enthusiastic answer. When he had asked the question he had envisioned her dragging him into her arms declaring her undying love then passionately kissing him until his mind fogged with lusty images. All he received was a mediocre _**"umm"**_?

This was the woman he was contemplating, perhaps in some near time, if his courage did not desert him, this was the woman he intended to ask to marry him? He did not even rate a word, only a sound? He had gotten a more enthusiastic response from women he had only spent a few hours with. Erik had been praised before because he had always made sure his partners were satisfied if that was what they wanted. On rare occasions the woman only wanted to give him release then grab whatever reward she could from his pocket. That little detail he should, more than likely keep to himself. If her reaction to Christine was any guide Katherine might do him some damage if he began to compare their intimate moments with those he had shared with others.

It was odd really, but Erik was having a hard time bringing the face of any of those women to mind. Susan was always there in the back of his mind because of his guilt. One would think something so intimately shared would mean more than a quick satisfaction of a body's cravings. Those other women seemed to have faded into just very vague memories.

Christine was still in his present everyday life, although he did not think of her the same as he had before. He still found her voice enchanting, but no longer did she hold him in thrall when he heard her. Not his heart at any rate. His appreciation of her musical talent would always bring him near to tears when he heard her. Not in the same way as before. The intensity he had before had lessoned. Now he could hear her sing without wanting to drag her to the nearest dark corner to ravish her. That perhaps was another little tidbit he should not pass on to Katherine. Although he had not been all that intimate with Christine. A fact he was immensely grateful for due to the fact that they all had to work together.

"Did I...did you..." Shit. His genius seemed to have taken flight just when he needed it to form an intelligent sentence. "What I meant to say...or rather ask, was it...when we were together did I...did I do the correct things? Were you satisfied with what I did?" Damn if he did not sound as if he were enquiring about some task he had been hired to complete, rather than asking his lover if he had pleased her as he wished.

"Are you worried whether or not you pleased me? If you are do not waste your thoughts on such things. I saw the stars Erik. I think I was close to heaven. When you give me that final pleasure I think I shall die in sheer bliss at that moment." She rolled over to face him. Her hand covered his cheek while her eyes captured his in an exchange far deeper and more convincing than any mere words. In that look their souls met and merged. Whatever happened they would be joined by their souls.

The look of pride on his face convinced her she had pleased him. Men, she was discovering were very vulnerable when it came to their talents in the bedroom, or study or underneath the stars. Even during a hayride. Katherine could not help the smile that came to her lips as she thought of the few intimate moments they had shared. If anyone knew of their encounters they would be quite shocked. Not only because they did more than merely hold hands. The fact of the location of these encounters would have women fainting while the men would pretend outraged shock while secretly envying Erik for his daring as well as his success in getting more than a mere kiss from his lady.

As long as Erik was happy she was happy also. How they felt about each other was more important than how anyone felt about what they did together. This intimacy between them was a private matter. It was not something to be put in front of the masses for censure or approval. As long as the two participants agreed on the nature of their relationship, what did it matter what society thought? Even though they had known each other a short time, Katherine was never surer of anything in her life than that she loved Erik completely. What did the number of minutes, hours or days make as long as they were secure in the knowledge their love was returned without any reservations?

"We should go back to the others. Separately. As much as I would enjoy spending the night with you I feel your brother may have a few words to say to me should he find us together. Not that I am afraid of him. I would not like to have him as an enemy in the future. We do not need his approval, but it will make things easier if we do ask for it all the same. Soon I should have a word with your brother. If you agree of course. I am not trying to rush you into anything. Well at least not anything permanent. I have gone beyond what is accepted as courtship between a man and a woman. I suppose we should have done that first, but you must admit our relationship has been tumultuous as well as rather of short duration."

"Are you courting me Erik?" Her voice had an element he could not decipher. Was she in favor of his courtship or did she want nothing more than what they had now?

"Only if it is what you want. Is it what you want? I...I mean just because we...you and I...that does not mean you have to..." Katherine stopped his babbling with a kiss. She should be the one lost for words but with Erik she suddenly confident, more sure of everything. It touched her that this otherwise intelligent man lost all of his composer trying to learn whether or not she was willing to let him officially court her. The man was crazy if he thought she would let him go. He was stuck with her until he decided otherwise. If it were up to her he would always be hers just as she would always be his.

Pulling back from him with her hands behind his head she said with her voice laced with passion, "Oh yes Erik. It is definitely what I want. I want you. Always." she brought his head down for another searing kiss. They forgot for the next few minutes about going back to camp. It was much later when they returned. Everyone else had gone to bed.

Kissing Katherine once more Erik left her to lay on her own blanket. Neither Erik nor Katherine noticed the watchful eyes of a brother for his sister. Matthew knew he would have to speak with Erik when they got back. He had warned him once if he touched her he had better want to keep her. A discussion with the man in question would give him an answer one way or another.

In Erik's mind he was definitely courting Katherine. As far as he was concerned speaking with Matthew would only be a formality, a good-will gesture, one that society deemed proper. If Erik were his old persona he would not care one whit about what society thought. He found that he wanted everyone to only have a high opinion of Katherine. As for himself, if he had their approval that would be fine but he would do nothing to actively seek it out. Lord knows he had lived without it for many years.

For Katherine he would adhere to the customs people valued most. He would court her as she deserved. He would show others that she commanded his respect and theirs as well. Katherine was above all a lady. His lady and damn anyone who showed her any sort of disrespect.

**A/N: I didn't know if I could get this out or not. A family member used my computer while I had my file open. She managed to delete everything. The next twenty chapters I had ready to post all gone. I am trying to rack my brain to retrieve what I had written in those chapters. This one I did my best to complete in a timely manner and still have my usual quality. I don't think it is so bad. If I don't post as often as I have been it is because I am in retrieval mode and need to concentrate on that. I will take my breaks of course to read any ffs that catch my interest hoping to be inspired. I am really in a blue mood right at the moment. I am not a drinker but a rip roaring bender sounds good about now.**


	53. Chapter 52

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC's. ALW owns everything else. Well not quite everything but you know what I mean.**

**A/N: Just to let everyone know I have taken the advice of my readers. I already had a USB stick I had just not used the darned thing as I am not very adept at using technology. Having lost so much already for like the third time, I forced myself to try. Voila, it worked. I now keep everything there daily updating. **

**I have restored my chapters somewhat. As I get ready to post I will work to fill in with greater detail. I got the gist of the chapters they just need to be fleshed out. I have been staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning to work on them. Last night I stayed up until 4. I finally wrote the last chapter I had lost and even finished five addional chapters. So I am all set to go. I am even loading my chapters here just in case. I can only put 15 here but that's better than 0. **

**I do apologize if some future chapters aren't up to par because it is hard to rewrited something in the exact same words you used the first time. So please keep that in mind as you read. As always I would appreciate your input. Thanks. Now on with the show.**

**Chapter Fifty-two**

**Night of Rescues**

Morning came with a blaze of pure sunshine. Matthew had hoped for many clouds, clouds that would cover the sky when the moon came out at night. This little snag he felt was only the small trickle that led to much bigger problems ahead. He had not slept well last night. He had gone over and over their plan. It was the best they had. There were so may things that could to wrong. They had too little margin for error. In fact they had none whatsoever. The least little thing could affect everything with fatal results.

Everyone was restless all day long. They carried on meaningless conversations, played cards, or simply sat in silence contemplating the task before them. Tonight they would make their way to the fort in an attempt to gain the freedom of Raging Bear and Moon Shadow.

Darius lay on his bedding looking up at the sky. He pictured Dove's face in the blue of the sky. He preferred to think of her as White Dove, but knew it could be dangerous if he slipped and called her that in front of someone who did not know them. Her heritage was not something she would, or could hide. It was just safer not to draw attention to it if ever they were among anyone other than those they had already met.

He hoped they could live among the white's in harmony. As far as he was concerned there was nothing to hold anger over. He had not lost anyone to this inexplicable war. It seems as if every country he had ever been in they were just recovering from some war or just heading into one.

Raoul contemplated how his life would change again once he had a woman who lived for him, loved only him. At one time he thought that would be Christine. Fate, or God, whoever arranges these things had given him a second change. He would move heaven and earth to please Fawn. He wanted to start again. A family did not seem so far away now that he could see another woman in his future.

Matthew sorted through everything that could possibly go wrong tonight. So much depended on split second timing. One little misstep could be the end for them all.

While this group waited out in the open Nadir and Hayden had finally arrived at their own destination. If those two men had not had women waiting back home one of them would have been staying with Andrew's charming mother. Indeed she did not look old enough to be anyone's mother. At least not like any mother Hayden or Nadir had seen.

Erik had taken Katherine into a place where they could have some privacy. He had begun to feel this heavy weight begin to pull at him. When he had this feeling before it meant some disaster was headed his way. He wanted to hold on to her tightly, never letting her out of his sight. He hugged her to him so fiercely she protested that she could hardly breathe. His kisses branded her as his own. He could not absorb enough of her essence into him. Katherine had to force him to let her go so they could return.

As the sun finally began to descend after seeming to hang in the sky for an indefinite amount of time, they began to make their preparations. Plans were gone over once more. Everyone knew the part they must play. Raoul, Darius and Erik were to stay with the horses. They would only approach the fort if they heard gunshots. Knowing it was useless to tell the three men to leave them if they did not return within a reasonable time, Matthew told them to at least show great caution. There was no need for everyone to be captured or...He did not finish that sentence. They were all too aware of what could happen.

Erik, Raoul, and Darius looked on as Katherine and Matthew used the darkened burned wood remnants to spread over their face. Katherine noticing their concentrated stares explained this would keep the moon or any light from reflecting off their faces.

Before they mounted Erik drew Katherine to him. Regardless of the other men looking on he kissed her fervently. It concerned him that this felt as if this would be the last time he held her like this or kissed her warm responsive lips. He wound his arms around her waist to pull her against him. To even voice the thought in his head silently that something could go wrong and he could lose her, shook Erik to the very core of his soul. He closed his eyes hugging her tightly once their lips had separated. He did not know if he had the strength to let her go. Every instinct he possessed was telling him to take her and run. His sense of impending disaster was clamoring inside his brain for attention. He did not feel good about this. If he could do anything to prevent her from going he would have done it gladly. He would rather go himself. Why the hell had he not learned to speak Apache?

Katherine whispered in his ear, "Erik I love you. We must go. Nothing will happen. I will be returning." Katherine wondered why as she said those words that it felt as if a lie had just been spoken. Her unease began to grow. She tamped it back down. They could not afford any doubts now. Both she and Matthew had to be fully alert and aware of everything around them. One little distraction could put them both in further danger.

Once it was dark enough they rode as close as they dared to the pens outside the fort walls. Leaving Erik, Raoul and Darius with the horses, Matthew and Katherine went on foot for a few yards then separated. Once they were close enough to be seen, they dropped to their stomachs to close the rest of the distance on their bellies.

Katherine heard Matthews call that indicated he was in his position. She returned the call. She was in her position as well. She looked toward the pen. A soldier was walking around. Katherine heard Matthews call warning of an intruder. She had already seen the man, but Matthew did not know that. She answered his call. Their calls back an forth were of nocturnal animals. Different pitches and sounds for different meanings.

Katherine caught sight of movement. It was Andrew. He was bringing the men their drinks that he had laced with the sleeping powder. In a matter of a couple of minutes the men began to seem disoriented. Andrew had originally been going to make sure they had enough of the drug to knock them out. Upon further consideration, he thought that if the men passed out at the same time after drinking the coffee he had brought it might look suspicious. He decided to only give them enough to make them feel tired and not as alert as they should be. They may even experience some stomach discomfort. Andrew had even taken the added precaution to drug several other soldiers that were not on duty so nothing would look suspicious later when it was only the guards at the pens and gate to the fort that were ill. The men would not be completely incapacitated but would be impaired. That would still allow Katherine and Matthew time to do what they had to do if all went according to plan.

The army mess being what it was, men were always coming down with ailments from improperly prepared food. Dysentery ran rampant through the ranks. Some things were downright spoiled once it reached the fort. A few men feeling less than their normal selves would not raise any suspicion.

Katherine knew where Matthew was. She moved into a position that countered his. They needed to be in sync with one another so there was less opportunity for detection. They had prayed for a cloudy night. Mother Nature had decided to deny them their request in favor of only partial concealment of a few clouds.

Voices could still be heard coming from the soldiers at the gates. Katherine and Matthew watched and waited for the two men to drink their drugged coffee. After a while the men began to make less steady circuits around the pen. Their steps began to falter.

Waiting just long enough for the men to begin to feel ill, Matthew signaled for Katherine to move forward. On her stomach Katherine pulled herself forward with her arms. The two guards sat down leaning against posts of the pen. If Katherine and Matthew were extremely careful they could be in and out in less than a minute.

Katherine was within a few yards of the pen. She could see individual bodies now instead of just a dark mass of humanity. She lowered her head for a moment to pray that things went well. Hearing Matthew's signal she started forward again. Once she was close to the pen, the grass was not tall enough to keep her hidden. She stood so she could move faster, bending at the waist as she crept forward.

She reached the pen the same time Matthew did. They both climbed into the pen. Crouching down they worked their way toward where Raging Bear and Moon Shadow had been earlier. People began to greet Matthew as Lone Wolf. Katherine was also recognized. Everyone was so malnourished they could barely move. Seeing just how bad their condition was broke Matthew's heart while firing his blood with the need to avenge such treatment to his people.

If he thought they could make it he would advise them to make a run for it while the guards were still incapacitated. That had been his original plan. If their health was not so poor they could have made it, at least some of them could have. Now only the younger men and women would be able to make their escape.

Urgently Matthew told them to be still. He told them the guards were only going to remain disoriented for a few minutes. He was here to save their chief. If he could take them all he would. They understood that their freedom was in their own hands. It was up to them to make their own decision. Chance freedom or die a captive. There was no real decision to make. There never had been. It did not matter anyway. They had resigned themselves to dying if they stayed. Go and take a chance of being recaptured and hung or die on the way to their new prison. They would rather die at their own hands than slowly at the hands of the Whiteman. If they were shot while trying to escape it would at least be an honorable death.

One of Matthew's closest friends, Black Hawk said he and a few others would attempt to create a distraction so that Lone Wolf would have time to get to safety with Raging Bear. He would give them the count of twenty heart beats then they would begin their own escape. He wished his friend luck shaking his hand and patting him on the back knowing they would more than likely never see one another again. They would never be a tribe here on this earth again. They would only be a tribe in the spirit world.

Matthew and Katherine finally found Raging Bear. He did not look well. Moon Shadow was beside him. Next to her was a woman with a little girl of about three years of age. Raging Bear roused himself to speak to Lone Wolf. "I did not know if you would make it my friend. I feared I would meet my ancestors. I am weak Lone Wolf. I will make this journey even if I must die in the attempt. I want to see my daughter. Andrew said she was doing well. He said I had much to thank you for White Eagle."

"We must hurry Raging Bear. We have already lost too much time. Let me help you to your feet. Moon Shadow, are you able to walk alone? Do you need help?" Matthew sounded tense with his fear for everyone's safety in the next few minutes.

"I am stronger than I look. Our chief has sacrificed half his rations to give to others. I was one of those who took what he offered. He refused to eat while his people starved. Knowing one of us had to remain strong, I ate." Moon Shadow stood in a crouching posture.

Matthew and Moon Shadow each took an arm lifting Raging Bear up. Helping Raging Bear to his feet, they began to make their way to the edge of the pen. Raging Bear assured them he could walk on his own. Matthew began to lead the way silently touching his people with one hand as he passed. He did not notice Katherine stopping after only a few steps or Raging Bear stopping to look back at Katherine.

Katherine felt a tug on her arm. She looked back to see the woman with the child gripping her arm weakly. The eyes searching her own held only pleading. Raging Bear stopped just in front of Katherine. He saw the exchange. He knew well what the woman was asking. Had he not asked the same of Lone Wolf?

"Please, White Eagle, take my daughter. She has many years yet I wish for her to live. I beg your forgiveness for anything I have done. Please take her. Look into her eyes and see her innocence. I am not strong enough to last but a few more days. My daughter, Quanah, will be on her own. She will not survive. Please I beg of you." Though her body was weak her grip held tight, keeping Katherine from moving forward.

Katherine looked to see that Matthew and Moon Shadow had already left the pen. They were already reaching the taller grass. Lone Wolf had thought Raging Bear and White Eagle were right behind him. Knowing how short their time was he did not think she would stop for anything. Raging Bear had assured him he could make it by himself. Lone Wolf needed to keep his hands free.

Lone Wolf had reminded Katherine just before he stepped out of the pen to run and not look back. He did not know Katherine and Raging Bear had stopped until he was near the line of trees. It was too late to go back. He waited to see if either of them made it back.

The other men were getting prepared to make their own escapes as well as give a distraction so their chief had a chance for escape. They would make that sacrifice. Katherine weighed her options. Really there was no choice. She could never turn her back on a child. Nodding her head she allowed the woman to give her the child. The woman embraced her child knowing this would be the last time she would see her. She whispered something in the child's ear to which the child answered with a nod of her head, then hugged her mother back fiercely.

Once Katherine's arms tightened around the little girl she began to cry for her mother. She remembered Katherine from the days when she would sing to the children and tell them stories, but she wanted her mother. Katherine placed her hand as gently as she could over the little girl's mouth. Wrapping her arm around the little girl she began to move toward the rails of the pen. The woman placed her hands over her mouth to quiet the sounds of her sobs. The light of the moon traced the tears down her cheeks. She wanted to wail out loudly, but knew she could not.

Katherine had only gone a few careful steps when she heard her name whispered.

"White Eagle you have come to comfort an old man on his journey." Katherine could barely recognize this thin skeletal man as the man who could still trap and hunt with the men when the weather did not stiffen his bones or they had to move too quickly. He had not been a warrior for many years but he had still been fierce although slower with age and aches of the old.

"Fire Walker it is good to see you to. Is there anything I can do for you?" Katherine knew she did not have time for this but she could not leave that old man here to die. He would haunt her until her own death claimed her.

"Can you stand Fire Walker? If I help you can you stand?"

"I will make it if I have to crawl. If I die ten steps from this dark place I will dance to my victory. At least I will die in freedom."

Katherine quickly looked around. The men were readying their distraction. They had picked up small rocks. They all knew that they would more than likely die as rocks were no match for guns with bullets that pierced skin and bone. A couple had taken the rifles of the disabled soldiers. Katherine dare not think what had happened to the soldiers. The guns could be used just as Katherine and Raging Bear began to run to the weeds drawing fire away from them.

Katherine helped Fire Walker to his feet. Lone Wolf would be in the trees by now looking back for her and Raging Bear. she hoped he did not come back for her. Raging Bear had not gone far. He waited for Katherine.

"We have to go Raging Bear. Once we are outside the pen, run and do not stop for anything. Nothing do you understand? It is far better for me to be caught than you." She did not know the truth of her words but she hoped he would believe her. Katherine had just put her foot outside when she heard shouting.

"Stop! Stop! Or I will shoot." One of the soldiers from the gate had regained his senses enough to be headed to make his rounds. Once his shout was heard guards posted all around the top of the forts tall barrier began to shout out instructions to soldiers on the ground. Soon there were many soldiers just outside the gates firing in the direction of the pen. If they were caught and the soldiers had been killed as she suspected they all would hang or be shot by a firing squad. Since bullets cost tax dollars they would dance at the end of a rope. Katherine woud not let that happen.

"Go. Now. Run and do not look back." She urged the other two on when they would have lingered wanting to try to make sure others would go free.

It was not completely dark, as the moon was fairly bright as it glinted through the few clouds, but still they could only make out shadowy figures heading into the tall grass. If they were not stopped they would soon be in the trees. Once in the thick undergrowth of trees they would be hard to find in the dark. It would be too dangerous for the soldiers who were not familiar with the surrounding terrain to track them at night. Only the very experienced soldiers could hope to come out safely. Most of those here at the fort were new recruits. They were sent here to allow the more experienced soldiers free for battle, tracking and rounding up of renegades.

The braves in the pens climbed out then charged toward the gates. They threw their rocks yelling out the most bloodcurdling cries. Those cries alone stopped a few of the newer recruits in their tracks. They thought for sure a war party had begun an attack. The order to fire brought them out of their stupor. They commenced firing. One by one they picked off the braves. Those men had given their lives bravely for their chief. To die for him had been something they considered a high honor.

Two braves had separated from the ones charging the gates. They were the ones with the guns. They began to fire drawing attention temporarily to them.

Soon there were only three figures headed for the trees. Bullets came in a rapid succession of gunfire. Suddenly Raging Bear stopped. It was as if he had been shot. "I see it Katherine. The flaming star, I see it. It is my time."

"Keep moving. You are mistaken. Please there is no time." Katherine placed her body behind Raging Bears. It was an unconscious move to shield the older man. One she had come to think of not as a father, but a man she could respect and one who would treat her as almost an equal.

She looked back to encourage Fire Walker. He lay on the ground. Katherine ran back the few feet to get to him, Raging Bear following her back.

Katherine knelt down to the old man. He had been shot too many times to count in the dark.

"White Eagle, thank you. Now I will go to the great beyond a free man. I did not have many winters or summers left. I would have not had any if I had gone to this place Flo..ri..da. It is my time Katherine. My one regret is that we did not share a buffalo hide." He chuckled then began to cough. Looking back Katherine saw soldiers headed their way. She had to leave. She glanced back down to say her good-bye only to see Fire Walker had already made his last journey.

Once again she hoisted the little girl onto her hip. Raging Bear took the lead as was his right as chief. He would lead them into battle or to freedom. Katherine did not quibble as this way she could shield him. Who she thought would shield her was a mystery.

Katherine tried to stay as close to the ground as she could and still hold onto the child, so that she would give them as little target as possible. She could feel bullets passing by her in a flurry of gunfire. Raging Bear was flagging a bit. He was beginning to slow down. The dirt around her shuddered as bullets hit the tightly packed dirt, leaving little holes dotting the ground. Almost into the tall grass, Katherine felt the sting of the first bullet that hit the back of her shoulder. She dropped to her knees from the impact. Her grip tightened on the little girl. Raging Bear stopped, looking back over his shoulder. The pain was almost enough to drag Katherine down altogether. She knew she could not give into the pain. Pain would defeat her if she did.

"Go on. I am alright. I just stumbled." As Raging Bear moved to come back toward her Katherine said, "No go on. We cannot be caught." With reluctance Raging Bear turned and began to head in the direction of the trees once more. He knew White Eagle had been hit. She had been behind him. She had shielded him from the soldier's bullets.

The pain was so intense Katherine wanted to give in to it, but knew she could not. She forced herself to her feet. Shifting the child into a firmer grip, Katherine took a few more steps. She paused to catch her breath as a fiery bolt of agony shot through her side. Again she fell to her knees. It took her longer to pull herself up to her feet this time.

She at last made it to her feet taking stumbling steps forward as the child began to seem a heavier burden than she had been earlier. Katherine would not put her burden down. Either they both made it, or neither one made it.

Once again Katherine shifted the little girl higher on her left shoulder as she felt the little girl begin to slip from her arms. Katherine continued on toward the tree line she could now see dark, shadowy shapes just ahead. She saw that Raging Bear was almost to the trees. A dark shape was just ahead of him. He joined that shape and another. Raging Bear must have caught up with Lone Wolf and Moon Shadow. Either that or Lone Wolf had come back for them. She prayed Lone Wolf knew not to come back for her and risk them all. She willed herself to place one foot in front of the other. At first it was slow progress. Step by step her pace became a little faster. Driving the pain from her mind by sheer willpower alone Katherine kept heading toward the trees. She reminded herself that Erik was waiting in those trees. She had to make it. She had to.

Every step she took brought her closer to Erik. His voice whispering in her ear not to give up drove her on when her body wanted to drop to the ground. Each time she felt her knees giving way she heard Erik's whispered words of encouragement.

Katherine's feet began to feel as if weights had been added to her moccasins. Thoughts of her mother flitted into her mind. She would love to see her mother again. No, I must not think like that. I have to stay with Erik. We have just found one another. I will make it. I must.

Matthew and his companions made it back to the three waiting men. Raoul and Darius rushed forward to help the now completely exhausted Raging Bear. Matthew had dragged him the last few hundred yards. Erik began to feel panic take over his whole being when he did not see Katherine. They had been in the trees when they had heard the gunfire. Now they stood just at the edge where the growth was less dense.

Erik's heart had dropped to his feet. That foreboding he had felt before had turned to the surety that something was wrong with Katherine. He could feel it as if it were his own body that was experiencing the pain. Fear for her safety turned to anger when he did not see her.

He grabbed Matthew tightly by the arm to ask urgently, "Katherine. Where is Katherine? I swear to you, if you sacrificed her for this man, I will kill you both. When did you see her last? Was she on her way back?"

Matthew cursed as he turned back the way he had come, taking a few steps in the direction he had just traveled a few seconds ago. His eyes scanned the surrounding area. Katherine had been right behind him inside the pen. When he had heard close footsteps behind him he had thought they were Katherine's but it was Moon Shadow behind him.

Matthew had looked back to see Raging Bear struggling to put one foot in front of the other. There had been no sign of Katherine.

Where could she have gone? He prayed to all the spirits and the Whiteman's God, that she had not taken it upon herself to join those who would be leading the soldiers in the other direction. _**Damn it White Eagle, where are you?**_

A rustling a few yards out drew their attention. Crouching down they waited to see who it was before firing into the grass. The figure that emerged was a woman. She was carrying what looked like a small child.

Everyone rushed toward her. Erik ran past everyone before they could even take a few steps. Erik wrapped his arms around Katherine and the bundle she carried. He brought both of them to him for a tight embrace. Katherine pushed him away not wanting him to feel the blood she she knew had to be running down from the wound in her shoulder and the one in her side. Both injuries were on her right side. The dark buckskin tunic kept the blood from being noticed in the dark. If one were to touch her they would feel the wet stickiness of her life's blood saturating her clothing.

"No time. We must hurry Erik. They will be mounted soon. We must be far from here by the first light. They may catch us if we do not put enough distance between us." It was an effort to get the words to form. Katherine was feeling light headed from the loss of blood. She was thankful they were not bareback. She could tie the one rein around her wrist and wrap the other tightly around her hand to help her stay on the horse. She wished now she had brought Misty. She and Misty knew each others moods and needs. Misty would have known how to compensate for her masters lack of direction. She would have followed Matthew.

Katherine handed the child to Erik. By now Erik realized the bundle Katherine held was a child. He took the child fearing she might protest loudly when she saw his appearance. She had already been sniffling and hiccupping. If she began to cry outright someone else would be holding her. Erik had had enough of crying females when he had dealt with Christine. Once in Erik's arms the little girl seemed happy enough. She wrapped her little arms around Erik's neck so tightly he thought he might be asphyxiated. Reluctantly he left Katherine to mount up.

Katherine knew that if she was not in the saddle soon she would not make it on her own. If they knew she was injured they would want to stop to have a look. She would not risk everyone. She grabbed the reins of her mount then placed her foot in the stirrup. Gritting her teeth she pulled herself into the saddle. She was grateful that everyone was busy mounting their own horses so they did not notice that it took her a few tries to raise herself into the saddle.

Katherine tied one of the reins as tight as she could around her wrist. The other she wrapped around her other hand several times. She pulled back testing the tightness. It seemed as if it would hold. She prayed she did not need to be held by the reins but if she passed out that would be all that held her in the saddle.

Once everyone was mounted they spurred their horses into a fast pace. At least as fast as they dared in the dark with so many trees and underbrush covering God knew what danger. Once they cleared the trees and were out in the open once more they could travel faster.

Erik had put the little girl in front of him. She had stopped crying. Now she clutched his shirt front in her tiny hands. Erik did not have time to think how right it felt to hold that small child securely in his arms. Later he would recall how trustingly she had come to him; how she had stopped her cries once in his strong embrace. For the moment escape and concern for Katherine were all he could focus on. Even with Katherine returning and seeming to be alright, that churning in his gut did not go away. He knew with certainty things were not as they should be.

Continuously his eyes returned to Katherine. Did she seem to be slumping down in the saddle? Would she not say something if she were hurt?

Looking ahead at the others he saw they were some distance away and the gap had been gradually widening. If Katherine slipped behind too much further or did not seem as if she could hold herself up any longer Erik would be calling a halt like it or not. If the fucking army came he'd give them a battle they would not soon forget.

If they feared what the Indians might do he could say positively they wanted no part of what The Phantom's mind could conjure up as retribution.

Erik decided to give Katherine a few minutes then he was alerting the others. He had not missed how the woman, Moon Shadow had been staying close to Katherine.

Erik would blame himself later for not listening to those inner warnings. Katherine might have been saved so much pain. She may not have had to struggle so hard just to stay alive.


	54. Chapter 53

**Chapter Fifty-three**

**Race With Death**

They rode hard for about half an hour before finally coming out of the trees. Once in the open they could pick up the pace. Matthew stopped them for a moment. Matthew told the others to keep going, he was going to back track to make sure they were not being followed. If they were he would take care of those who would come after them. He told them not to stop for anything. He would catch up with them. He took one of the rifles with him along with his bow and arrow. Wheeling his horse around Matthew headed back into the trees.

Once he reached the trees the others once again began to move. The horses were pushed to the limits of their endurance. Once Katherine was sure they were far enough away she told them to slow the pace so the horses could get their second wind. It would also give her a chance to assess how badly she was hurt.

She leaned forward to unwind one of the leather straps of from around her wrist. She would need one hand free to tend to her wounds as best she could while still on the move.

Once they were at a slower canter, Katherine reached into her pouch that was hung on the back of the saddle. She opened the flap and pulled out the last remnant of her petticoat. She struggled with the leather ties of her tunic. Finally she separated the two sides of the soft leather.

Katherine put her hand inside her tunic. She reached around to the back of her right shoulder. She pulled her hand away to see how much blood was still coming out. Looking down she knew that at this rate she would not make it much further. Her hand was coated with blood. Whether fresh or old she could not be certain until she could clean the wound and assess the damage.

Wadding up the remnant of cloth Katherine stuffed it inside her tunic hoping to slow the flow of blood. She nearly passed out from the pain as she pressed the cloth into the wound. Needing to check her other wound, she pulled the two sides of her tunic back together loosely so she could check the wound periodically. Katherine's hand found the spot on back of her shoulder to press on the outside over the wounded area. She grimaced in pain. She was hoping the blood would make the cloth stick to the wound.

Lifting the hem of her tunic she saw that the bullet must have gone straight through as there was a wound on her side in the front. The bullet had entered through her side from the back.

Raising her head Katherine's eyes met those of Moon Shadow. Moon Shadow nudged her horse closer to Katherine's. She went to speak, but Katherine gave her a warning shake of her head. Moon Shadow reached out her hand to pull the tunic aside. The bullet had not gone through, which meant it was still lodged in Katherine's shoulder. It looked as if the bleeding had slowed, but it was still seeping out in a fairly steady stream. Moon Shadow's eyes dropped to Katherine's side. That bullet that had hit the back of her right side had exited out the front. Blood from this wound was beginning to coat the leggings of Katherine's buckskins.

"We should stop White Eagle. If the wound is not tended to you will not make it."

"I will make it. Just do not tell them I am injured. We must put as much distance between us and the fort as we can before daylight. That gives us a few hours head start. The trackers have more than likely already been set on our trail. I will stay in this saddle even if I must tie myself in place the whole way."

Katherine began to struggle to rewind the strap around her wrist. Moon Shadow had been going to protest, but then she saw that White Eagle had tied the reins around her wrists and the saddle horn. If she fell the horse would spook dragging her along, to her death more than likely, before anyone would be able to stop the horse's headlong flight. Moon Shadow would watch Katherine as they continued to move further away from the fort and the soldiers.

They traveled all night. The hard tack was eaten as they rode washed down with water. Katherine could feel the fever climbing inside of her. She felt hot, hotter than was healthy for a person to be. Soon she began to slump down in the saddle. Each time she would force her body to stay upright. Erik had only looked back at her now and then. His attention was split between Katherine and the little girl. She talked non stop without him not being able to understand one word.

He would simply nod or "um hmmm" ever so often. That seemed to make her happy. He was thankful the sun was coming up. At least now he could get a better look at Katherine. Erik still had that bad, uneasy feeling crawling around on the inside. Something was definitely not right.

Erik had never prayed more for daylight than he did now. They had eaten a bit of hard tack a few hours ago. The sun had not come over the horizon but there were fingers of light just beginning to splay upward.

Once it was light he rode back to Katherine. She was leaning low in the saddle. She did not even raise her head to look at him as he called, "Katherine. Katherine! Damn it answer me." Now his panic had a full head of steam.

Calling to the others he fairly shouted, "Stop! Something is wrong with Katherine." Erik leaned forward to pull back on the reins of her horse. When it came to a stop he put his hand on her shoulder. When he leaned her back her eyes were closed. She was clearly unconscious.

Yanking his glove from his had he placed his hand to her chin to tilt her face toward him. Her skin was scorching hot. It was as he looked for signs of injury that he saw the dark stain at her side just where there was a hole that looked as if it were a bullet hole. Raking his eyes over her for any further injury he noticed her wrists had been tied to the saddle horn.

_**God damn you Katherine. Why did you take such a foolish risk? If you die I shall follow you only to make your eternity miserable with the long list of your foolish behavior. After I tell you again and again how much I love you. **_

Erik feared the worst while he hoped for the best. Katherine did not even move. He glared in accusation at that woman Moon Shadow. She had to know Katherine had been injured.

Erik prayed Katherine had not been seriously injured. He feared what terror he would he would unleash on those responsible. God himself would not be able to save those who had done this if the unthinkable happened.

Darius cursed under his breath even as he prayed for Katherine. If Erik lost Katherine the only thing that would stop Erik from seeking vengeance would be to kill him. Darius would not want to but he could not let Erik go unchecked on a killing spree.

Hopefully prayers would make it to the right angel, Katherine's angel. All they could do now was wait and pray.

Once he was sure the animal would remain calm, he untied Katherine. She slumped down into his arms nearly knocking him to the ground. It would seem the only thing keeping her upright had been her tethered wrists. While trying to hold onto the little girl and the reins of his horse to maintain control Katherine slumped to the ground with a thud that had Erik's heart dropping to his boots.

Erik held on the reins of Mephistopheles while he danced in a circle. He had a hell of a time keeping the little girl from falling. She thought it was a game for her amusement. Matthew rode by dismounting just as he pulled his own mount into a skidding stop. He was dismounting even before the horse came to a complete stop.

Lone Wolf, at this point he was not thinking as Matthew, stooped down. He assessed the wounds. They would need to be closed to stop the bleeding. They could not take the time now to administer the proper aid she required.

He slowly gathered the rein of Katherine's mount in his hand. He reeled it in laying his hand soothingly on his head to reassure the animal all was well. He did not want to take the chance of spooking the animal. Tying the reins to the pommel of his saddle Erik looked around for Katherine. She was on the ground with Matthew kneeling close by.

Anguish and fear fought for supremacy over Erik's face as he battled to hang on. Erik had dropped to the ground as soon as he got his own horse under control having made sure Katherine's would not bolt. Once on the ground he pulled the little girl down giving her to the first pair of arms available, which just happened to be Raoul's. Raoul quickly put her down on the ground as if she had been on fire. As Erik walked away the little one said something in her own language. She pointed to Erik. She ran her hand over the right side of her face.

Raoul grimaced and said, "Bad man. Real bad." He gripped his arms with his hands and shivered as he made a face.

The little girl must have understood at least a word for she vehemently shook her head and pointed her finger toward everyone near her as she swept her arm around to point to each person she said, "Good." Pointing her finger back toward the way they had come she scowled as only a three year old can, stating, "Bad." Well it would seem she had made her mind up about whom she could trust and who she could not.

Erik had reached Katherine dropping to his knees as he reached her. Tucking his legs beneath him he rested Katherine's body against him. His hand cupped her hot face. After a few gentle caresses he removed her tunic. She had nothing beneath but a cotton camisole embroidered with roses and trimmed in lace. Erik quickly dropped his shoulder in front of her to block everyone's view.

He turned his head toward Raoul and Darius scowling darkly toward them. Being the gentlemen they were they had already turned their backs. Erik turned back to Katherine continuing to trace her features gently with the tips of his fingers.

He laid her on the ground. As his hand dragged across her back he felt the wet stickiness on her shoulder. Erik leaned her forward, cursing virulently at what he saw. Again he cursed his beloved for being so foolish and careless with her life.

Raoul had the little girl pressed against his leg. She had wound her little arms around his leg so tightly he feared it might interfere with his circulation.

Raoul had never dealt with children before. One who did not speak English and had only bad impressions of white men, made communicating nearly impossible. She had claimed him to be good but would she feel the same if he picked her up and held her. He felt a longing deep inside to do just that

Raoul looked down at the toddler. She looked up at him with her chin pressed into his leg. The bone of her chin was beginning to feel as if it were going to dig a hole in his leg. Bending down he picked her up.

He was afraid for a moment she would scream or cry out, but with a big, baby toothed grin she looked confidently back at him. She looked rather pleased to be so far from the ground. She kept looking at him and then the ground. She said something in her own language. When she looked at Darius she gave him the once over just as she had Raoul. Squealing in delight she held her arms out to a dumbstruck Darius.

Darius began to back away shaking his head. Darius was a good foot taller than Raoul and outweighed him by at least fifty pounds. All muscle and bone. The thought of holding something so small and fragile scarred him...well to use an American expression, shitless. The little girl continued to wave her arms toward Darius. Raoul was certain she intended to leap from his arms if Darius did not take her.

"Darius, my friend, I think your height has trumped my good looks. I feel I have lost the fair maidens adoration. You best take her before she leaps right out of my arms. It is not as easy as one might think to subdue a little twenty something pound squirming bundle of humanity."

"But...but...I have never held anything so small. What if I hurt her? Smash her or something?" In desperation he looked for the woman, Moon Shadow. She was on the other side of the horses tending to Raging Bear. She was helping him to drink from a canteen. Darius cursed himself for not thinking of that task himself.

"Well, I might suggest you think of her as a delicate rose petal. The least bit of pressure can cause a bruise. Think of her as a rose and you should do fine." Raoul handed off the child into Darius' hands that he had stretched out in front of him. If he kept her away from his body surely nothing would happen to her. Holding her away from him he joined Raoul by the horses. He did look a bit odd holding a small child at arms length as she swung her legs back and forth happily. She thought it was a game.

"We need to build a fire. Raoul, Darius get whatever wood you can find. Buffalo chips if you can find that." As both men looked at him with the same question on their faces he said succinctly, "Buffalo shit. Dried. Since we are in an area where there are few trees we will have to make do. I pray that White Eagle has kept her pouch ready for times such as this." If not he could get what he needed from his own pouch.

Raoul gladly would volunteer to get anything as long as he did not have to hold that fragile little girl again. She had felt so tiny in his hands. If he squeezed just a bit too hard he was sure something would break.

That sneaky bastard Darius had the gall to give the child to Moon Shadow who it would seem could indeed manage to keep the horses under control simply by hobbling their legs. Holding the little tyke in her lap she was still able to tend to Raging Bear who was already regaining much of his strength simply breathing the air of freedom.

Raoul could kick himself for not asking the woman sooner to take responsibility for the child. He need not have shown his weakness to Darius if he had. One that Darius seemed to share.

They walked some distance before they came to a spot dotted with large piles of what had to be buffalo droppings. Many were somewhat fresh and all seemed to be quite fragrant.

Raoul and Darius looked at the black dried round disks of what they assumed to be the droppings of buffalo. The fresher piles giving off an odor would indicate that was a correct assumption.

Taking a deep breath which he held as long as he could Raoul set about collecting what they needed. He cursed under his breath the whole time. Only for Katherine would he do something so disgusting.

Turning around Raoul was a little aggravated that Darius had thought to bring his rain slicker out of his saddle bag to put the shit in while Raoul held the stinking mess pressed in his arms against his chest. Raoul scowled at Darius.

"What? It is my fault you are not as intelligent as I am?" Darius could not keep the mirth from his face or his voice.

"Well you could have said something. That would have been the gentlemanly thing to do."

"And miss the illustrious Vicomte Raoul de Chagny grasping shit to his chest as if he holds a great prize? Not likely."

Raoul was tempted to shuck the whole armload in Darius' direction. His eyes began to glint with his thoughts while a sly smile began to curve his lips.

Reading the intent in Raoul's eyes Darius countered, "I would erase that thought from your mind if I were you. If you think for a moment I am sure you will make the correct decision."

Raoul gauged his chances of beating Darius in a fair fight as slim to none. He decided he valued all his body parts too much to risk any of them. He turned back in the direction of the others.

"Smart man Raoul." Darius could not resist digging the burr a little deeper. He so rarely got an opportunity to do so.

Raoul called back over his shoulder, "Do not gloat. It is not an attractive quality. One I am sure Dove would not value." Raoul knew it was unfair to use Darius' feelings for Dove against him but when an opponent was shaped like a mountain and strong as an ox one had to use whatever weapons would work.

"Raoul wait. Damn it I said wait." He quickly caught up with Raoul who had a supercilious smile on his face.

"Damn it Raoul that is a low blow. Perhaps I might whisper in a young woman's ear how such a manly young gentleman complained like a woman because he had to carry dried animal droppings."

"Huh! You know little of women if you think a remark comparing a man to some supposed weakness in a woman will win you points. Try again my friend." Raoul continued to stride confidently forward.

"How about if it were to become known a little scrap of femininity had you shaking in your boots?"

Raoul stopped in his tracks to turn and face his companion. "You would not stoop so low. Besides you were not so brave as I recall either."

"Well I have never laid claim to being secure around children. I am not even married. One expects a married man to be a little better informed than a bachelor."

Raoul thought for a moment then suggested, "How about we both agree to keep the other's secrets. We agree privately we are both not as brave around that little bit of feminine charm as we would like to believe. We also agree to ignore any other weaknesses we may have observed. Agreed?"

Darius quickly agreed and awkwardly they shook hands and returned to the others. As soon as she saw them Quanah latched onto Darius' leg. Raoul dropped his armload of droppings and pointed in triumph to his soiled shirt. For once he did not mind looking like shit.

Moon Shadow and Raging Bear watched as the two men approached with their arms full. The distaste on both men's faces would have been quite enjoyable in any other circumstances. Matthew told Darius to drop his load as well. Since his leg was held in a vice he had to more or less toss his armload away from him. He unfurled his slicker allowing his burden to spread over the ground.

Sighing in resignation he picked up Quanah to play another game of leg swinging. When picked up Quanah squealed in delight.

Matthew knelt down to use the flint rocks to strike against each other. As he struck the stones sparks shot out toward the bits of dried grass that had been in White Eagle's pouch.

Lone Wolf had gotten the fire to burn. He laid his knife in the fire. He needed to sterilize the knife so he could remove the bullet in Katherine's shoulder. Once it was heated he returned to where Erik was still holding her against him. Her head was nestled against his chest. When Lone Wolf knelt down with the red hot knife ready to put it against Katherine's skin, Erik grabbed Lone Wolf's wrist in a crushing grip.

"What are you going to do?" The thought of anyone touching Katherine with something so menacing brought out all his instincts to protect. In the back of his mind he knew he had to let someone remove the bullet, but it still seemed wrong that she would have to suffer pain again.

"Erik, we do not have much time. They are only about three hours behind us if we are lucky. I need to remove the bullet then close the wounds to stop the bleeding. If she loses any more blood she may die. Do not forget, I loved her as a sister long before you loved her as a man. I would do nothing to harm her."

Erik looked back down at the woman he held so closely to his beating heart. His heartbeats were connected to hers. If she...if anything happened to her he would not want to go on. This was not that same crazed kind of love he had for Christine all those years ago. That seemed a lifetime away from what he felt for Katherine. In his mind he would only think of her as his Katherine. He was in full control of his mind and all his faculties. He was deeply in love with her. He knew the reality of her love returned to him. Erik lifted his face to Matthew. All the love he felt for this woman was contained in that face, in his eyes, in his voice when he spoke, "Please, do what you can. I cannot lose her. I simply cannot." Erik's voice cracked on the last words. He felt tears gathering that he held at bay by sheer force of his will. He buried his face in the curve of her neck, pressing his lips to her hot skin. Erik wished he could draw the heat from her into his own body, draining every bit of the infection out of her.

Saying his own prayer, Lone Wolf put the tip of the knife in the wound on White Eagles shoulder. When the tip entered she jerked in pain. "Hold her still. I have a very sharp blade digging around blindly in her shoulder. One wrong cut and she could lose the use of her arm." Lone Wolf could have gone further and told Erik she could still lose her whole arm if infection set in. From the look of the redness around the wound and her fever, it looked as if she was already fighting an infection.

Erik held tightly onto Katherine. He placed his lips next to her ear and began to sing the notes of a song of love that had come to him the night before. Words to fit the notes seemed to come without thought as he sang to her. If he had thought to dedicate it to Katherine only in name, now he knew it would be her song and hers alone. No one else would hear it unless Katherine made the decision to share his music and words. He had written down the notes that came to him with a piece of charred wood, on the back of the paper with the map drawn on it. He had been frustrated until he had remembered the piece of paper in his saddle bag. He had been hoping to play the notes for her once they got back and he wrote the words to match his music of love. He prayed to every holy deity he could think of to give Katherine their blessing. The fear of losing her brought the words to go with the music he had written.

When Lone Wolf began to dig around in the wound, causing it to bleed heavily again, Erik had to restrain himself from interfering. He wanted to shove Lone Wolf all the way to hell for hurting her, even if his rational mind knew it had to be done. He wanted to shove him away from her to stop her pain. When at last Lone Wolf pulled the bullet from the wound he looked at it angrily as if her wound was all the fault of the bullet. Pulling his arm back as far as he could Matthew hurled it as far as he could.

"Raoul bring me two of those shells for the rifles." Raoul opened his saddle bag and carried the requested items to Matthew. When the two men looked on with a question in their eyes as he pried the first bullet apart he explained, "I will need the powder to pour on the wounds. I will then set the flame from the arrow against the powder to burn it, sealing the wounds. It will leave much less scaring than if I sealed it with a heated knife blade. It will seal completely as well preventing any further loss of blood."

Pouring about half of the powder from the first bullet on Katherine's shoulder Matthew then went to the fire to retrieve the arrow he had placed the tip of in the fire. Walking back he kneeled down stabbing the end in the ground. He placed his hands on his legs while looking at Erik to make sure he listened to him.

"Erik you must hold her tightly. This will hurt very badly. It will be quick but I must repeat the process three times. You cannot let her go to comfort her no matter how badly you will want to. Can you do this? If not say so now before we begin.

Erik could not speak so he simply nodded his consent. Matthew began the procedure that would seal Katherine's wounds.

Katherine groaned as the first sizzle of powder burned the skin where Matthew had poured the powder. Erik held her tightly wishing with everything he had that he could take this pain from her. The smell of her burned skin filled the air with a sickening odor. Darius and Raoul stepped further away. Grown men did not get sick just because of an unpleasant odor that was caused by someone's burning flesh. Little Quanah did not seem to notice anything amiss. It was unfortunately an odor she had smelled many times before.

When Matthew had finished Erik put Katherine's tunic back on her. She moaned, opened her eyes for a moment. Raising her hand she brought her hand weakly to his face. He kissed the palm of her hand. Closing his eyes he whispered, "I love you Katherine Montgomery. Do not leave me here alone. Please do not leave me."

"I love you too Erik. I am not ready to go to the spirit world just yet. I did not see my flaming star. So I must be go...ing to li...ve." As her words got softer and she struggled to get them out she finally passed back into unconsciousness.

Hastily they mounted up in silence. Erik would not relinquish Katherine. He settled her in front of him with Matthews help.

Darius feeling he had done his part passed the child back to Raoul. He more or less thrust her against Raoul's chest in a gesture that suggested he would let her drop if Raoul did not take her. Not that he ever would have, but his stoic face gave nothing away of his gentle nature. If Raoul had not taken her he would have endured.

Raoul looked desperately around to find Moon Shadow. It had been his intention to pass the little tike to her. She had her hands full with her horse as well as Katherine's. Sighing Raoul mounted up after first placing the little one on the front of his saddle. She gripped tightly to the saddle horn, grinning happily as he put his foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up behind her. She began to chatter in her own language content to be the only one speaking. She was happy if Raoul gave an umhmm or a yes once in a while even if he had no idea what she said. Quanah's ride with Raoul was much the same as with Erik.

Quanah in her own mind had claimed the one Moon Shadow called Shadow Man. To her Erik became Shitaá Shadow Man. She liked this man and the tall tree man but Shadow Man she liked best. Her shimaa had told her that she would not be around much longer to care for her. Her shimaa had been easing her to accept that things would be ending soon. Quanah had been far to stoic for a child of three considering her mother had been preparing her for death. The death of her mother as well as herself.

Raging Bear saw how much the man who hid his face cared for Katherine. He felt he should tell him how Katherine had saved him. Once they were on the move again he guided his horse toward Erik's. Moon Shadow had Katherine's horse tied to her saddle horn. She was riding alongside Erik, just slightly behind him. Raging Bear was next to her. He caught up with Erik within a few yards from where they had stopped.

"Man in mask, you love White Eagle?" Erik looked at this strangely dressed man. His long black hair was braided like a woman's. He had a leather band around his head with feathers sticking out of it. The beaded necklace around his neck held many colorful beads made from what Erik thought was clay. They were threaded on a long strand of leather.

Erik did not answer verbally. He feared he would lose his control once he began to speak, so he merely nodded. Raging Bear tried to think of the words for what he wanted to say. In the end he asked Moon Shadow to translate for him. He wanted no mistakes in the telling of White Eagle's bravery.

"I saw my flaming star tonight. If you do not know what that means for us I will tell you. It means our death is near. I should be the one dying not White Eagle. She moved behind me to block the bullets. She would not let me carry the child. Perhaps she was right in that as I am not as strong as I once was. White Eagle took my place in death. She took the flaming arrow meant for me. As a reward for her bravery the spirits may be kind. They may allow her to stay here with us. This is my hope, my prayer to all the holy spirits. White Eagle, more than anyone I know deserves to live the life she was meant to have. We have interfered in her life's destiny as it is. I hope that this interference led her to some happiness she would not otherwise have been blessed with. From this moment on she is as my daughter. Take care of her."

Moon Shadow told Erik what Raging Bear said. He made no reply. He could not take his eyes from Katherine. He just nodded his head as they continued on. Throughout the next day they kept the pace steady. Lone Wolf would back track to see if they had any followers and to cover their tracks. He left several false trails that might give them some extra time.

The sun was just coming up on the third day of their adventure. The front of Erik's shirt was drenched with Katherine's sweat. The blood that had soaked him had dried yesterday. He had wanted to rip that shirt from him, to rid himself of the further proof of how fragile Katherine's hold on life really was. She would not eat. Erik forced her to drink. She could only sip small amounts at a time without choking.

By later tonight they should arrive at Andrew's home. A trip that should have taken three days will have only taken them a day and a half. Man and horse alike were near the end of their endurance. The constant trek forward with little rest had taken its toll. The horses began to slow their pace of their own volition. No amount of nudging could force them into a faster pace. They had nothing left to give.

Matthew was pretty certain they had lost any trackers. He had seen no evidence of anyone the last few times he had backtracked. Katherine had gone from burning up to shivering. Her body shook so hard it was noticeable even to those who did not have their arms wrapped around her. At least her body was fighting off the infection or at least trying to.

By the time the sun had begun to sink down beneath the horizon Katherine was so feverish again she felt as if she had an inner fire. Along with that her chills had gotten worse. Her body was at war with itself. Her whole body was convulsing. She had begun to mumble in her delirium. She fought Erik's hold as if she fought an enemy who held her captive. Katherine's dreams were about the day her mother died and she was taken captive.

Darkness had descended when they at last saw the home of Andrew's mother. The one light downstairs where Andrew had indicated was the parlor was alight with the bright light of a lantern. It was decided that Raoul would go down first to knock on the door instead of everyone coming at once and perhaps frightening someone. They were not willing to chance any more slips at this point. Katherine's life was at stake.

Raoul looked around at the others. They did look like a rather scraggly group, unwashed and unshaved. Raoul perhaps was the most presentable as he had shaved and bathed just the morning before they had left Katherine's. He was grateful that since coming to America he had changed his bathing habits to the morning hours rather than the evening before bed. Rasping his hand over his whisker stubbled face Raoul sighed hoping he did not get shot while being mistaken for some vagrant tramp.

He passed Quanah to Moon Shadow. The little tyke would have none of that. She eyed Erik then sighed. She reached for Darius. Raging Eagle chuckled then said something to Moon Shadow that made her laugh lightly as well.

Raoul rode down stopping in front of the house. He dismounted tying his horse to the hitching post. As he walked up the steps to the front porch he looked around trying to see if there was any movement in the darkness. He saw nothing. Coming to the front door Raoul pulled the cord beside the door. He heard a ringing sound in the background. Soon he heard footsteps.

The handle jiggled on the door just before opening to show a tall thin man standing there in what Raoul presumed was a butlers formal uniform. The stark black and white would make a fine match for Erik's dress code of a few years ago.

"Yes may I help you sir?" The man eyed Raoul with a critical eye. He could probably quote to within a few dollars how much Raoul had paid for each item on his person. He had drawled his words as Raoul was becoming accustomed to true Southerners speaking. The sir had been more of a suh, than sir.

"I am Vicomte Raoul de Chagny. I am here to see Coralee Anne Richards. Her son Andrew I do believe informed her of our impending arrival. Might I speak with her?"

Just then the door to a room off the entry way opened with a thud against the wall. Several people rushed out among them were Nadir and Hayden.


	55. Chapter 54

**A/N: I have worked hard to restore all the chapters and have even added a few. When I went back through I found a few out of chronological order and some with repeated information. I hope I have caught all of those errors but if not let me know. **

**I want to thank all those who have reviewed and all those who have read so far. I appreciate each and every review. I only received three for this last chapter which disappointed me but I still decided to post a chapter. If you are reading I invite you to comment by leaving me a review. Reviews are necessary for writters, good or bad. Please do take a moment to do so at the end of this chapter. **

**Chapter fifty-four **

**Journey Through Darkness **

Raoul saw Nadir and Hayden striding quickly out of a doorway just off the grand foyer. Coming just behind them was a woman Raoul knew must be Coralee Anne Richards, Captain Richard's mother.

This woman looked far too young to be anyone's mother. She was not the most beautiful woman Raoul had ever seen. She was certainly the most striking looking one though. She was tall for a woman. Watching her walk toward him Raoul thought she glided across the floor rather than walked.

He skirts rustled with hers steps. Her hands gripped her skirts on either side showing just a hint of an attractively slim ankle. A blond halo of hair surrounded her head with a few tendrils brushing her neck and shoulders flirtatiously.

Her welcoming smile warmed Raoul just looking at her. Lord help men everywhere if she decided to use her womanly charms. No man could resist was Raoul's guess and he had not even heard her speak as of yet.

When she was within a few feet of Raoul she held her hands out to him in welcome. Raoul did not even have a chance to think before his hands had stretched out toward the woman in front of him. She grabbed both of his hands smiling at him warmly.

"Ah let me see," she stood back from Raoul with their joined hands stretched out the side as she looked him over very thoroughly before she continued, "You are Raoul correct?" The woman's voice could have been coated in honey it was so sweet of tone and tenor.

"Indeed Madame." Raoul's voice sounded raspy and coarse to his own ears. He hoped they did not mistake his dry throat as signs of drunkenness.

Coralee looked around his broad shoulders. "Where are the rest of my guests? I was told there would be six guests coming. Nothing untoward happened did it? Please tell me everyone is alright. Moon Shadow, she is well?"

"Actually Madame there are seven of us. Katherine rescued a little girl. The others are waiting for my signal. We could not chance the fort telegraphing ahead in case Andrew's duplicity was discovered. We had to be sure. We felt it better to risk one rather than all of us. Besides I was the most presentable of the bunch." Raoul smiled charmingly at the woman.

"Raoul where are the others? Did everyone...is everyone well?" Nadir had been beside himself all day. What with having to fight off Coralee's subtle charms he was fit to be tied. The woman was a menace with not one clue how volatile she was to the male of the species. Or perhaps she had known for so long that now it was second nature to charm every man she met. She did it without guile or malice. She genuinely liked all men. Women he imagined would despise her just for her beauty alone.

"Katherine has been shot. Matthew did the best he could in the short time we had to tend to her. As you can imagine we had to keep moving for fear of capture. For the moment she is doing fairly well but we need to have a doctor see to her as soon as possible."

Nadir and Hayden were shocked by Raoul's news but were given little time to do anything other than have a private moment to worry about her condition.

Coralee lost her sweet helpless "butter would not melt in her mouth" countenance. She took control with efficiency. She was a formidable woman once she had the bit firmly between her teeth.

"Raoul please bring the rest of the party in. Jeffrey please be sure that vacant servant's room just off the kitchen is prepared for the injured woman. I suppose it will have to do. It will be much easier to have her down her as she recuperates."

"Nadir go into the room just off the kitchen pantry. You will find clean dressings for Katherine's injuries as well a bottle of medicine. I dare say the poor woman could use a dose of laudanum to ease her pain temporarily. There is a brown bottle with peroxide and a tin of boric acid. Please bring those. Also bring the big white basin you will find in there as well and fill it with warm water."

"Hayden please go to Allison's room and ask her to give you a clean nightdress, towels and sheets. Tell her there is no need to bother leaving her bed for the night. Once she has gathered what we need, she may return to her bed. We have plenty of hands to do what needs to be done."

Coralee commanded those around her like a general would command his troops. She was efficient and no nonsense. No one thought to question her authority.

Raoul stepped out onto the front porch. When he reached the top of the steps he let out a shrill whistle, his eyes trained on the spot where he knew the others were waiting just at the top of the hill amidst the trees.

After only a few seconds he saw dark shadows beginning to emerge from the concealing trees. If he did not know who those shadows were he could have mistaken them for ghostly specters.

Before Erik and the others had reached the house Coralee was at his side. The woman gripped Raoul's arm nervously. For all her calm outward appearance Coralee was nervous about meeting this paragon her son had told her he intended to make his wife.

Soon the riders reached the porch. Erik handed Katherine down into Raoul's waiting arms reluctantly. As soon as he had assured himself Katherine was safely in Raoul's arms Erik dismounted. When both feet were on solid ground he took Katherine back into his waiting arms.

Coralee looked over her houseguests matching names to the descriptions Hayden and Nadir had given her. The man who held the injured woman was undoubtedly Erik Fontaine. The tree trunk of a man just beside Mr. Fontaine just dismounting his horse could be none other than Darius. The tall muscular man without any shirt had to be Katherine's brother, Matthew. The woman still sitting stiffly in the saddle she deduced was Moon Shadow. She saw the other Indian fellow sitting just as stiffly as Moon Shadow. This must be the great chief Raging Bear.

Coralee gathered her wits as well as her manners as she waived everyone up to the porch. With a graceful gesture of her hand and a soft melodious voice she said, "Please don't stand on ceremony. Please come inside."

Turning to Erik she said, "You are Mr. Fontaine?"

Erik simply grunted his assent.

"Please come this way. Oh good Nadir you have returned. Please show our guests to the downstairs facilities so they may freshen up then take then to the dining room. Please tell Mrs. Wilkins to cut some ham, cheese and bread. Well I suppose just tell her to place whatever she thinks will be needed on the sideboard in the dining room. Everyone can then help themselves. These people are bound to be hungry."

Once Coralee had settled Katherine in the bed she had left her in the capable hands of her own personal maid Mary. She persuaded a reluctant Erik to wash up then get something to eat while Mary bathed and dressed Katherine in the fresh gown.

Erik did not quite know how he ended up at the table with the others but in a matter of minutes when the woman named Coralee had told him to go freshen up and then eat he had done just that. It had been his intention to refuse so he could stay with Katherine.

Once he had washed up his stomach had loudly proclaimed it needed nourishment. He had to confess it was the better choice to feed his body rather than pass out from lack of nourishment perhaps during a time Katherine needed him the most.

Erik had turned around in the bathroom only to stop short. The leg grabber was back. How the hell had she managed to sneak up on him. He scowled fiercely at her hoping to frighten her away. She merely gave him a big toothy grin then latched onto his pant leg. This fascination she had for Erik's legs was the reason he called her the leg grabber. No matter how frightening he tried to appear she would not leave Erik in peace. The only thing that had kept her out of Katherine's sickroom had been Moon Shadow entertaining her.

They were just finishing there makeshift meal when the doctor arrived. Erik had stood to follow the gray-haired gentleman down the hall. Coralee had stayed him with just a touch on is arm. The other occupants at the table marveled to see Erik so compliant.

Coralee invited the men to retire to the front porch to smoke if they wished. Brandy would be sent out in just a few minutes.

Coralee seeing the lost look on Moon Shadows face gently asked her to stay with her so they could talk. Coralee told her that a room had been prepared for her with some clothing. She could bath then join Coralee in her sitting room. A maid would come for her in half an hours time. While Coralee took Moon Shadow upstairs the men went out to the front porch.

Erik wanted only to go down that hall to see what was happening to Katherine. He did not want to sit out here making small talk. Hell he did not want to talk at all.

Raoul took the seat next to Erik. He thought this might be a good time to speak about the past and clear the air somewhat so that they were not at each other's throats all the time. Raoul did not see Christine as bone of contention between them but Erik was not privy to what had transpired between Christine and him all those years Erik had not been in Christine's life.

Raoul thought with all that had happened and the way Erik reacted to Katherine's injuries it would seem to indicate Erik himself had placed his affections somewhere else.

Once seated down beside Erik Raoul lit a cigar. He offered the case to Erik. Erik did not smoke as a rule but one he thought would not do any serious damage. He needed something to occupy himself with until that damn doctor came out and gave them some news about Katherine.

Raoul cleared his throat in preparation to speaking to Erik. Glancing around he saw Nadir and Darius deep in conversation casting quick glances back in their direction. It did not take a genius to surmise they were contemplating whether or not he and Erik would be able to sit this close to one another without one or both of them sustaining injuries or worse.

Raoul took a deep puff then blew out the smoke clearing his throat once again. How should he begin?

"God damn it just say what the fuck is on your mind. This hem hawing is irritating. Either spit it out or swallow it and choke. I have too much on my mind to worry about what you consider to be important." Erik glanced around quickly. Ever since he had come out of Katherine's room that little leg grabber had been following him like a second shadow. All he needed was for her to repeat one of Erik's less than proper curses.

"Well actually Erik, I thought we might clear the air a bit. Due to recent circumstances I feel we should get things out in the open and discuss them."

Erik leaned casually against the arm of the wicker chair as he twisted to meet Raoul's eyes. He raised his brows in question. Realizing that Raoul might not be able to see his face he asked, "And what might these things be that we need to air out and discuss?"

"Christine." Raoul waited for Erik to bellow like a bull or grab him around the throat or both. What Erik actually did surprised the hell out of Raoul. Due to recent events it shouldn't have but it did.

"I have no interest in Christine other than as a performer in an establishment I have an interest in. Erik couldn't quite make himself say theatre nor did he wish to call it an opera house as he knew Katherine objected to that term. He settled on establishment.

"Erik I am glad to hear that. For your sake as well as mine. You may think I got the prize all those years ago but what I won was a three year descent into my own personal hell. I would not normally be revealing such intimate details as I am about to impart, but I do think you deserve to know the truth of things so that you may understand that the great prize you thought you gifted me was alas not so wonderful in the end."

Erik stood and turned his chair toward Raoul. If the damn fool insisted they have this little tête-à-tête then he would damn well not get a crick in his neck while he listened. Since Raoul had said not all had been a bed of roses Erik's ears had pricked up with interest. For all his years of suffering he was glad to know Raoul may have suffered some slight measure of what had befallen on him three years ago.

Raoul sighed then continued, "Once Christine and I made it back to my home outside Paris things did not go as smoothly as I had hoped. Christine was not as eager to marry me as I would have liked. My father finally forced our union. He wanted no more scandal. If not for his interference we would not have married I think. Christine would have soon left me to pursue you physically as she did mentally."

"When you passed Christine to me you kept a part of her heart and mind. I won't go into all the humiliating details for I find I have no wish to stroke your ego to that level. Suffice it to say Christine was unfaithful to me many times in her mind with you and actually unfaithful to me with many men, the most damning being my best friend Michael."

"Christine searched for her damn Angel of Music in the arms of other men. I knew I could never make her happy. Honestly I began to wonder what had drawn me to Christine again. I think perhaps it was memories of how things had been when we were children. How happy we had been. Her father had always wanted us to be together. That was his dream. I do believe that had some small part in Christine allowing herself to allow me to court her while she was at the opera house."

"The last of my tolerance and understanding drained away when I learned of her affairs as well as her obsession with you. I won't tell you all the humiliating ways I had this forced on me. Suffice it to say you got your revenge without even having to be present or make any effort."

"Once we decided to come to America things began to change for me. I did not want to hang on to a love that was never going to make me happy. Holding on made us both miserable. In our misery we had neglected Meg. That is another sore point between Christine and me. She knew of Meg's plight yet did nothing to help her. I am not completely innocent by any means and will not spare myself anything. I had made a promise to Antoinette to protect her daughter and I failed miserably. I allowed my own miserable state of mind to distract me from my duties."

"Meg was attacked by three men in her apartment. Once I learned of her dangerous position I sent for her. It was too late to prevent all the horrible things she had to endure but I did finally honor my promise to Antoinette to protect her daughter."

"Just so you know the men that harmed Meg are no longer breathing. They met with terrible _**accidents**_ while awaiting release from jail. Horrible things happen sometimes while one is being held prisoner. Sometimes it is fatal."

Raoul was silent a moment reliving those weeks over once more in his mind. He could still not find even a small part of regret for his part in the demise of those men.

"So you see Erik, my perfect life with Christine that you envisioned me living all these years was just that, imagination, a fantasy."

"I do not wish to give the impression that Christine did all this with the intention of harming anyone. I think Christine still has many issues from her own past that make it hard for her to settle on any one choice with any degree of certainty. Christine's mind is, well to be kind she is somewhat vague sometimes, off in some private, secret world of her own."

"I have made my peace with Christine. I will be seeking a divorce once we return. I have at last met someone who I can trust only loves me. I want that with someone. I do not want to have to wonder when we are together if she is replacing me in her mind with someone else when in intimate moments." Raoul thought his ego had taken enough of a beating. He would go inside and lick his wounds in private.

Erik looked closely at Raoul trying to see if what he thought he heard was not some figment of his own mind. Raoul looked as if he spoke the truth. Erik could not help the jolt of pleasure that shot through him knowing that at times Christine may have fantasized that she bedded him, Erik, instead of her husband Raoul. He should thank the boy for his generosity but at the moment he could not. Perhaps some day in the far off future he might be able to but not yet.

"Well now that I have spilled my guts and handed you the means to humiliate me I think I will take a bottle of some alcoholic beverage to my room and drink myself into oblivion."

Erik silently watched as Raoul stood, snagged a bottle of brandy along with a glass then entered the house. Erik's mind was churning. Why did he not feel more glee in the knowledge that Raoul's life with Christine, that he had imagined to be perfect for so long, was a sham, a figment of his imagination. Why did it not fill him with joyful justification to know Raoul's life had been almost as miserable as he himself had been? All Erik felt was…well he was not exactly sure what he felt. If Raoul had told him this only a few months ago he might have jumped for joy.

It did give Erik some little pleasure to know not all was the perfect harmonious life Erik had envisioned for Raoul and Christine.

Erik had known for a long time that Christine's mental health was not stable. She had been almost as unstable as he himself had been all those years ago. Erik's own manipulation of Christine had not helped and for that he did have regret.

Erik could only wonder how his life would have been if Christine had found him before he had met Katherine. He suspected he may have been attracted to Katherine regardless of whether he was with Christine or not. Whether or not he would have acted on that attraction he could not say. A similar situation had not arisen so he could compare his reactions. Eventually he did realize that even though he loved Katherine with every fiber there would be women who would attract his body. Erik was equally certain he would never act on that attraction.

Erik's introspection was interrupted by the doctor's exit from the house. The man put his hands in his pockets then fidgeted for an overly long time it seemed to Erik. Why did the man simply not give them news of Katherine? Why must he torture them? Erik was tempted to use some violence on the man to pry loose the information he wanted.

Erik knew he had to remain outwardly calm even if on the inside his emotions were a boiling cauldron ready to boil over. For Katherine's sake he would conduct himself in a gentlemanly fashion even if his Phantom persona wanted to strangle the man with his Punjamb until his tongue hung out.

The doctor not knowing his life was in danger began to clean his glasses before he started to speak. "Well the patient is doing as well as can be expected. She is in a coma at the moment. She lost a lot of blood and infection had set in. The next few hours are critical. Each hour she lives is an hour her body has time to recover. With each passage of time her chances increase for recovery. I dare not estimate her chances for recovery other than to say they are slim. She will need the strength and prayers of her loved ones to help pull her through. She did ask for a gentleman before she lapsed into unconsciousness. Might there be an Erik present?"

Dr. Stephen Davidson was somewhat taken aback by Erik's appearance when he surged to his feet. Stephen quickly disguised his curiosity to see the man in the mask who stood before him.

"So you are Erik? Katherine did ask to see you. She seemed quite agitated when I would not allow you in while I examined her. You may go in now but try not to disturb her too much. Hold her hand and speak to her softly."

Erik gritted his teeth. Did the man think he was ignorant? Did he think he would go into Katherine's sickroom shouting while dancing a jig? Just because Erik looked less than gentlemanly at the moment that did not make him a misbehaving lout.

Foregoing telling the good doctor exactly what he could do with his opinions and suggestions Erik strode past him to find his way to Katherine's room.

Erik walked down the hall to the room where he had left Katherine earlier. He had wanted to stay and was still not quite sure what magic that woman, Coralee, had worked on him to get him out of that room without so much as touching him in anything other than a gentle hand if she touched him at all. He was uncertain if she had even made physical contact with him.

Without knocking Erik entered the room. He did not even acknowledge the woman who had been sitting in the chair beside Katherine. She stood and left the room quickly once Erik was in the room.

Erik had no time or concerns if he had frightened the woman. Katherine had all of his thoughts at this moment.

Sitting down beside the bed Erik vowed he would give his soul back to the devil if he would grant Katherine life. On reflection he thought perhaps he would not go that far as Katherine held the belief that one would meet all those they loved in the afterlife. She would not be too happy to know he had bartered his soul after only just having regained it so recently.

Erik held Katherine's hand in his willing her with his mind, heart and soul to fight with every bit of fierceness she possessed to fight to live.

Over the next few days Erik refused to leave Katherine to bath or eat. If his body did not demand relief once in a while he would not have left her at all.

Katherine was in her own lost world. She was traveling the road of life and death. It was for her to choose which path she would take. Her decision would affect all those around her not the least of which was Erik.


	56. Chapter 55

**A/N: I am pleased with the four regular reviewers but also would like to welcome my new one with this chapter. You people keep me slogging away. Enjoy and review.**

**Chapter Fifty-five**

**Darkness Into Light**

Katherine remained in her comatose state for several days. Her mind was whirling in some kind of fog. She felt herself walking along but could see nothing but darkness with a dense fog swirling around.

Something pulled her back into that dense fog just as something ahead beckoned to her. The light seemed much more inviting. One last, long look over her shoulder and she went toward the light.

The fog seemed to dissipate the further she walked along. Eventually she could see a figure ahead. It looked like a woman. Something seemed familiar about her.

As her heart began to race Katherine began to run toward the light. Soon she could see the woman clearly. She was overjoyed to see her mother.

She could not remember why she felt that she and her mother had been separated. It just seemed as if a long period of time had passed since they had seen one another.

Running to her mother Katherine nearly knocked Amelia off her feet in her excitement. Once her arms were wrapped around her mother she did not feel as if she could ever let her go again.

"Oh Mama. I have missed you so. Why does it seem so long since yesterday? It seems as if quite some time has passed without me knowing."

Amelia gently pushed Katherine away so she could look at her properly. She had so little time and she did not want to waste one second of it.

"Come sweetheart. Let us sit here on this bench. There is so much to say and so little time. My time before was cut short but I have this second opportunity to give you bits of me to take back with you."

"Back? Back to where Mama? I want to stay here with you? Where exactly is here?"

Katherine looked around the unfamiliar meadow. The creek was making music rushing over the rocks. The sun was shining while a gentle breeze kissed her cheeks. The tall grass rustled as it danced with the wind. She could smell every fragrant flower when she breathed in deeply. One by one she could pick out their fragrance.

Why would she want to go anywhere else? This place was perfect. She did not remembver where she had come from but she felt here was where she wanted to be.

"Mama I want to stay here with you. I do not want to go anywhere else. This is perfect." Katherine swept her hand around to indicate all the beauty around them.

Amelia placed her hands on either side of her daughter's face. It had been so long since she had felt her, touched her, or heard her daughter's sweet laughter.

"No baby you can not stay here. Shortly you will have to go back. They are calling for you. Listen Katherine and you will hear them calling."

"No I do not wish to hear anyone but you. Papa is…I do not know why but I do not wish to see even Papa. Is he here?" Placing her hands over her ears Katherine glanced around with trepidation. She did not want her father here. Why she could not remember. There were things beating at her mind trying to force her to remember things she did not wish to remember. Once remembered she knew her time here would end. She would not leave her mother again.

Amelia removed Katherine's hands from her ears with an amused smile. Katherine had always thought if she did not hear bad news then it did not exist.

"Oh Katherine it is so good to see you. It has been so long. You have made me so proud of you. You have grown into a strong woman. Much stronger than I ever was. Do not stress yourself over your father. He was always somewhat as he is now. He had no reason before to show his true colors to the fullest extent. Your opposition to him drove him to do horrible things to you. I wish with all my heart I could have spared you learning what he is really like. I do not think I could have but I did try."

"Katherine I do like your Erik. He is a bit untamed but that can make things interesting. I am so glad you met Raoul. A finer gentleman I could not have picked to rescue my daughter. I knew you were in safe hands once he met you. He is ever the gallant knight."

"Do you remember the little life you took responsibility for when you decided to save her? Once you took her from her mother's hands she became yours. Deep in your heart you knew this."

Placing her hands once again on Katherine's cheeks Amelia glanced back over Katherine's shoulder. The dense whirling fog was coming closer. It was almost time for Katherine to return. Amelia had to convince Katherine to go back. So many things depended on Katherine returning, not the least of which was the birth of her many grandchildren and Erik's destiny in the public eye as well depended on Katherine being at his side.

"Baby, think, hard. Where have you been all this time before you found me? What have you been doing, who have you met? You must go back baby."

Katherine did not want to think about anything or even about going anywhere. Why should she? Her mother had been gone…where had she been and for how long had she been away?

Katherine glanced over her shoulder. The swirling fog was approaching thinning to a mist as it got closer to her. Her heart beat quickened as the mist came nearer. She could hear voices that sounded as if they called her name. She would not listen. She wanted her mother. She had been cheated when her mother…when her mother…died. Tears began to fall down Katherine's face. Her mother had died. There had been so much blood.

Memories began to flash in her head like a kaleidoscope. Katherine put her hands to her head to try to keep the memories at bay. The floodgates once opened refused to be closed once more.

"Katherine you must be strong. It is not your time. You cannot remain here. You must return. So much depends on you now my love. My legacy will carry on in you."

Katherine began to sob such heartbroken sounds coming from her it tore Amelia's heart to hear her. If it were possible Amelia would keep Katherine with her but that was not Katherine's destiny to die just yet. Not for many years in fact. Amelia took Katherine's hands between her own. The mist was almost upon them. Soon it would be too late. Amelia must convince Katherine to go back.

"Oh baby, do not cry so. You have so much waiting for you back with the others. Shall I tell you a secret? I am not supposed to reveal such things but I think just this once there can be an exception."

"In just over a year you will marry and give me my first grandchild. A more beautiful child has never been born in my opinion. Of course I see this child through the eyes of a grandmother. I will not reveal if it is a girl or a boy for life must have some mystery."

"As much as I want you to stay you cannot. Carry my love back with you on your journey. Hurry now Katherine it is time. Soon it will be too late and you will not be able to go back. Please hurry."

The bright sun that had been shining only moments ago seemed to have dimmed. The little meadow did not look as charming as before. Soon the illusion would be gone and Katherine would not be able to return.

Amelia stood pulling on her daughter's hands. Katherine got reluctantly to her feet. She did want to stay but something; someone was pulling her into the mist. Once she entered the mist she could not turn back. She would only be able to go forward.

Her mother took her to the edge of the mist. "This is as far as I can go dear Katherine. Please hurry. I love you with all my heart and Katherine it was not your fault. You could not have done anything any more than I could. katherine watch out for your father's grasping nature. I dare not say more but please be careful on him."

Katherine stretched out her hand to hold onto her mother's hand as she entered the mist. She slowly felt her mother's palm slide against her own. The mist began to thicken becoming the dense fog once more. Soon Katherine could not see her mother. She felt her mother's fingertips slide away from her own. Her mother was gone once more. Katherine felt the loss acutely. She wanted to go back to the safety and security of her mother's loving arms, but again she felt the pull on her body. Whatever this was it was stronger than her will.

Once again Katherine glanced back in the direction where her mother had stood. There was nothing but dense fog behind and ahead. All that was left was the fog and the road ahead that led back…back to somewhere.

Katherine's feet felt leaden the further she walked.

Through tears she saw the end to the swirling fog. The fog was thinning. The voices she heard earlier sounded louder and she could distinguish one in particular.

When Katherine heard the man's voice encouraging her to come back she began to run. Now the voice was commanding her to return, begging her with heart wrenching cries not to leave him.

Katherine could feel her own tears sliding down her face. Erik. She had to return to Erik. Her love her heart. She must get to him. She would not leave him alone. She could not. She began to call out to him as she ran.

"Erik." Katherine mumbled out loud, bringing Erik's head up from where he had laid his head on the bed beside her in despair, with his arm wrapped around her. His left hand held tightly to her right hand as if the more of him that touched her the more of his strength he could give her. She had begun to slip away from them late last night.

Erik had stayed with Katherine refusing to leave her for a single second. The others had slipped in and out of the room imploring him to take a respite just for a minute or two. No amount of reassurances that they would watch diligently over Katherine would induce Erik to leave her.

Erik felt Katherine needed him to bring her back from wherever she had slipped away to during her coma. She needed to know he was here waiting for her. He had talked and sang to her throughout the night hoping for some sort of response, some sign she would not stay in her world of dreams. Erik could not live in a world that did not have Katherine in it nor would he wish to do so.

When he had felt her hand tightening around his then heard her mumbling his name it had sounded sweeter than any song he had ever heard.

She was coming back. She would not be leaving him in misery to die alone. Erik leaned in close to Katherine so he could whisper her name and tell her how much he loved and needed her.

Erik confessed he had been alone for most of his life but he could no longer tolerate a lonely existence. He could not conceive of a world without Katherine living and breathing in it.

Erik leaned his forehead against the side of hers as he begged, "Please Katherine. Try harder my love. I am here giving you what strength I can. If I could fight this battle for you I would. Do not let the darkness win Katherine. It is not a place of comfort. It is a place of fear and betrayal. Leave the dark world but do not go toward the light. Come back to me on this side of the dark world you are in. Wake my love. Wake and live for me."

Erik could not hold back the sobs any longer. It was if his soul had cracked and split open pouring out all the pain he had ever experienced in his life. Great tearing sobs echoed down the hallway reaching the others. From the mournful cries they assumed the worst.

Matthew slammed out of the front door to stand in the front drive shaking his fists as he howled like a wild beast in mortal danger of dying. He wanted to smash something in his rage. The only thing handy was the hitching post. Wrapping his arms around it he pulled with all the anger fuelled strength in him.

A few strong heaves and the rail across the top split with a satisfying groan then a loud crack it broke in half. Tearing out the end of one broken piece of wood Matthew heaved it back then forward throwing it a few satisfying yards across the front lawn. Not having expended his anger he took the second piece of wood treating it in the same fashion as the first.

Raoul stood by helplessly watching the destruction. He turned to Coralee who stood just to the side of him watching with calm eyes as her hitching post was turned into kindling.

"We shall replace that of course before we leave Madame." Raoul wondered if the hitching post was the only damage that would occur. Erik had yet to begin his own release of anger.

Darius, Hayden and Nadir came to stand on the front porch to watch the display as well, followed more slowly by Raging Bear and Moon Shadow. Quanah stood wide eyed clapping her little hands with glee at this new game the grownups were playing. She picked up a little stick. Drawing her arm back she let the stick fly. Having let go of the stick as her hand turned downward, it fell at her feet. Putting her hands on her hips she pouted just a bit. Huffing she bent down to pick up another stick. She wanted her stick to go as far as Lone Wolf's had. She bet Shadow Man could do it. He could hit that mountain with a stick if he wanted. He could knock the sun from the sky. In her mind Erik had taken on the abilities of a supernatural being. He was the strongest, bravest, most fierce brave in the world.

"Moon Shadow go see to White Eagle. She will need your guidance to find her way home if she is lost in the darkness. These white men would not believe nor can they understand your ability to connect with those who balance on the line between life and death." Raging Bear was sure Matthew would have thought of this himself if he was not taken beyond his endurance in his grief.

Moon Shadow went down the hallway to the door leading to Katherine's sickroom. She cautiously put her ear against the door. All she heard now were soft sobbing sounds.

Moon Shadow opened the door then went in quietly. She glided over to Katherine's bed as silently as any ghost might have floated across the floor.

Moon Shadow went around to the other side of the bed. Pulling a chair closer to the bed she sat down. Taking Katherine's hand she closed her eyes so that she could concentrate on nothing but finding Katherine. She felt the darkness seeping around her. She began to call to Katherine. She heard a faint reply. Again she called, but louder this time. Moon Shadow heard Katherine's reply coming louder and sounding much closer.

Moon Shadow could sense that Katherine was desperately trying to come back but had spent too much time in the darkness. The return was harder the longer one dwelled in the dark place. Moon Shadow risked trapping herself in that darkness every time she tried to guide someone out.

Moon Shadow could see the silhouette of a woman coming toward her. Moon Shadow hurried toward the woman calling again to Katherine encouraging her to hurry. Katherine began to run once more. She had been so tired before and had lost Erik's voice in the thick fog. The darkness seemed to want to wrap around her like the arms of a lover cradling the one they adore. If felt safe here in the dark but not as comforting as one might think.

At last Katherine reached the woman whose voice she had heard. She furrowed her brow in confusion. She felt she should know her but could not remember a name to match her face.

Seeing her confusion Moon Shadow said reassuringly, "Come Katherine. Follow me and you will see Erik once more. We cannot stay here any longer. It is time to come back. This place is not for you."

"Erik? Yes, yes I need Erik. Take me to Erik."

Katherine began to mumble then her words became more clear, "Erik. Please help me find Erik. Erik!" Katherine cried out his name beseechingly. Erik held her hand between both of his kissing them lovingly. He swallowed hard not caring about the warm trickle of tears he felt falling onto his cheeks to drop onto Katherine's hand.

She moved just a little feeling a warm drop of moisture touch her hand. Katherine's eyes fluttered. She blinked a few times then smiled weakly at Erik.

Feeing her movement Erik raised his head hopefully. Noting her fluttering lids then seeing her wonderfully blue eyes he said in a choked whisper, "Thank God Katherine. I was beginning to despair of you ever opening your eyes again."

Katherine ran her hand weakly over his hair and face. "I thought you did not believe in God."

"I cannot say what power granted this miracle so I shall be generous and give credit to your God." Erik bent down and kissed Katherine several times on her lips and face.

"Erik my love I do not wish to be parted from you but I dare say you could use a bath." She smiled to take the sting out of the comment. She knew he had stood vigil over her for however long she had been unconscious. He needed to take care of himself now. She did not want him to make himself ill.

Erik sat up indignantly. He had been sitting here for four days and three nights and she complained of his odor? Sniffing discreetly Erik wrinkled his nose at the sour smell about his person. He did indeed need to be refreshed.

"Well, if I offend you so dearly I must bow to your commands dear lady. I would not wish to offend your delicate senses." Erik pretended affront. He was far to glad to see the sparkle return to Katherine's eyes. A weak glint to be sure but better than the lifeless nothing from before.

Katherine grabbed Moon Shadow's hand. She squeezed it giving her a silent thank you. Moon Shadow inclined her head in acceptance. Katherine told Erik to make sure Moon Shadow rested well after tiring herself standing vigil over Katherine. Only Katherine and Moon Shadow knew what a true ordeal it had been.

The crisis was over. They could make the journey home within a couple of days. Katherine was on the road to recovery and soon they would all be headed on the road toward home.


	57. Chapter 56

**A/N: It was so nice to have two new reviewers for the last two chapters. I hope you continue to review. Encouragement and feedback are always welcome. I invite you to join us. Discussion and critique is always welcome too. Feel free to drop me a line or two. Definitely review.**

**Chapter fifty-six**

**Katherine's Recovery**

For a few days it had been touch and go but as Katherine had rallied they began to relax. Quanah had taken to latching her arms around Erik's leg which earned Raoul and Darius threatening glares when they laughed at his consternation. He dubbed her Leg Grabber. Raging Bear and Moon Shadow both agreed that Quanah would be better off with Katherine and Shadow Man especially since the little one had been calling him her father in her own language. Quanah called him Shitaá Shadow Man.

At first Moon Shadow had tried to discourage the growing attachment the little girl felt for Shadow Man. One night Moon Shadow had seen him with the child in the hallway outside Katherine's room. He had picked her up and taken Quanah inside with him to Katherine's room. Listening outside Moon Shadow had heard Erik singing to the child and the unmistakable creaking of the rocker.

Moon Shadow had awoken to find the little girl had left the room they shared. She had been going in search of her when she had seen Erik with the child through her cracked bedroom door. Moon Shadow had gone down to Katherine's room. She had gone back to bed with a smile and a plan.

After regaining consciousness Katherine had recuperated quickly. Erik had at last been convinced that she would much rather have him smelling and looking refreshed than for him to stay by her side every second of the day. She reassured him that she was not going back into that darkness again. Besides, Moon Shadow had promised to help her with her own bath. Would he not like to have her refreshed and wearing something a little more attractive than a man's nightshirt? The nightshirt had been chosen as it allowed the doctor to keep an eye on Katherine's wounds.

Everyone had reasons to return home quickly. For once Erik was exactly where he wanted to be. He was beside the woman he loved and this woman loved him more powerfully than he could imagine. He cared not for the location as long as he and Katherine were together.

A telegram had been sent letting those back home know that they would be returning within a couple of days. They decided to take the train. Coralee had arranged for them to have her private car on the return trip to Richmond.

She sniffed indignantly at their plan to ride as regular passengers. She asked what good was it to own a large portion of the railroad if one could not ride in comfort.

They could hook on to the noon train and be home within a day and a half. The car had a bedroom with a regrettably small bed but Katherine and the child could sleep comfortably.

The train on this trip would be making many stops as it was the one scheduled to pick up and deliver freight as well as passengers. A small kitchen in the car would allow them to make tea or coffee. There was also a cooler for water. When Erik spied this he examined it closely. It seemed to be made in layers. Quite ingenious really. He would be designing his own only his would be better.

Coralee told them that a few of the stops in the larger towns would provide hotel dining or small cafes. The only food in the kitchen would probably be some dried fruit and a tin of cookies.

Katherine and Quanah would share the bed in the bedroom, which left only the two couches and the floor for everyone else to find a place to sleep. Coralee would send extra blankets and pillows. The others may have to sleep with several people on the couches or floor but all in all it was much quicker and more comfortable than riding the range to get back home had been Coralee's positive outlook.

The day finally came when Katherine had been declared fit for travel. In Katherine's opinion she had been ready two days ago.

The men road into town on the horses they arrived with pulling the packing horses behind them which would later be riding in a car behind them. Erik had carried a protesting Katherine all the way to the wagon. They soon said their good-byes with Katherine lying in the back of a buckboard wagon on a mountain of blankets.

Raoul and the other men played cards or simply conversed about the current political situation. Raoul still had a hard time accepting that a man who had spent much of his life underground had been offered such a prestigious offer from Virginia's governor.

Raoul looked over at the three sitting on the smaller settee. Katherine and Erik were conversing quietly. Little Quanah, or Leg Grabber, as Erik called her sat beside Erik listening to every word that came from his mouth. More than likely she did not understand even half of what he said.

Raoul was sure Erik would die if he knew that anyone had observed him with his arm along the back of the settee with his hand in the little girl's hair. His hand was tangled in Quanah's braid. He twisted it unconsciously as he spoke.

Every once in a while Erik's hand would caress that little head leaning into his side. If Erik continued the little tyke would be asleep before long. Her eyes were blinking and she had yawned a few times. Who would have ever thought the once murderous Phantom could sooth an innocent child.

Upon reflection Raoul remembered that was how everything had started with Christine. Erik had comforted her. He did have tender emotions they had just been buried beneath so much hurt and anger for so long it had made it hard for him to change anything. Raoul could now understand a little better Erik's position all those years ago. With age wisdom did come, eventually.

Raoul's thoughts drifted to Fawn. He made a silent vow that he would approach Christine about their divorce. He did not foresee any objections coming from her. She after all had made it abundantly clear she wanted nothing to do with him in any intimate fashion.

Observing Little Quanah over the last couple of days his old longing for children had been reawakened. If Erik and Katherine wanted a private moment one of the others would take Quanah to keep her occupied. Quanah it would seem had been deprived of a father and therefore craved to fill that spot. It had become obvious to everyone but Erik she had chosen him to fill that role. The others one might describe as doting uncles.

If Quanah could not be with Erik one of the others would suffice. Each man played a different role. Raoul she thought she might marry some day. Darius she saw as the tree of delightful rides. Nadir told her stories about things she could not understand but she enjoyed his attention just the same. Hayden she considered almost like a brother. He would run and play the game he called tag with her. He taught her hide and seek. Of course she knew of these games but she let him tell her anyway as he seemed to enjoy playing big brother.

Raoul could not help but notice the three seated across from him looked like the perfect picture of a happy family. Imagine, the Phantom, a father. Raoul would have vehemently denied that Erik would be capable of being so gentle just a few short months ago.

Watching Erik with Katherine and the child Raoul knew he must change his perceptions of Erik. He had proven himself to be worthy of respect. Raoul would never give voice to the respect he had for Erik, at least not anytime soon. He could privately acknowledge it but he did not think he was ready to give Erik that just yet. Raoul had no doubt Erik could live just fine not knowing whether or not he had won Raoul's respect or not.

Raoul could not help marveling how things had changed so drastically in only three and a half years. Once upon a time he and Erik would willingly have killed one another just to be with Christine. Now neither man wanted her to share their life with her.

When he thought of Christine he felt saddened for a moment. Christine he knew to be somewhat of a fragile mind. At times she seemed quite irrational. The next moment she would be her old smiling self.

While Christine had held his heart and mind in the palm of her hand Raoul could overlook things. He had looked at her before with a lover's eyes. Now he could be more objective.

Sometimes Raoul thought Christine deliberately sought out what she knew would hurt her. It seemed as if she sought out some sort of punishment for some sin she did not even know she had committed but would readily pay penance for absolution from the sin.

Raoul did not know much about Christine and her family. Her mother had already been dead for a few years when he met her. Gustave had been a kind if rather introspective man. He had spoiled and ignored Christine in turns. At times it was as if he could not stand to be in his daughter's presence one moment longer and would abruptly leave the two children in the middle of a story or game they had been playing.

Perhaps he should consult with Meg and Antoinette concerning Christine. He may not love her or want to be with her but he did still care for her and feel somewhat obligated to her. Christine needed people around her at all times. If left alone there could be repercussions that could have devastating and lasting effects.

Perhaps if Raoul had not become so enmeshed in his own new life he would have followed through with his plan to speak with Antoinette and Meg regarding Christine. There would be so many what ifs in the future everyone would feel a certain amount of blame.


	58. Chapter 57

**A/N: Because those who reviewed had such nice things to say and because the chapter was a bit short I am going to post this chapter even though I have not yet received very many reviews yet for the last chapter. It is about reviews but it is also about pleasing the readers. Thanks once again for your loyal support. Once again if you have been reading but haven't reviewed please do so. **

**Great news everyone. I have only about five more chapters to go then I will be finished. If I wrap it up as planned there will be about twenty-five more chapters. Then all I have to do is edit right before I post. There is still much of this story ahead. I have it all worked out and written all but the last few chapters. I am cheering for myself and giving myself a hearty pat on the back. I'd love more reviews but if not at least the ones I do get are wonderfully supportive. **

**Chapter Fifty-seven **

**Back in Richmond**

Meg was on pins and needles. The day after Raoul and the others had left she received a telegram informing her that her mother was arriving with Roberto today. It was now only eight in the morning. The train her mother would arrive on was the 2:10. Meg had a good five hours or so to sit and stew until she had to leave to pick her mother and her stepfather up.

Christine had agreed to go with her. Meg had hoped Nadir would have returned by now so he would be with her when she met her mother for the first time in over a year.

It was ridiculous to worry that this would be her mother's first time seeing her heavy with child. Indeed Meg thought she had gotten massive in the last few months. The doctor had neither said nor done anything to waylay her fears about her growing girth.

In fact he had given her the opinion that she was indeed carrying twins. He swore he heard a second heartbeat. When he observed her shocked countenance he had quickly tried to reassure her that it was more than likely just an echo he heard. That comment did not set well with Meg either. Now she was echoing like some bottomless well.

Meg prayed once the baby was born that things shrank back to normal. She would be humiliated to go out in public if things remained as large as they were now.

Her face, legs, arms, breasts and stomach had all grown to ridiculous proportions. The doctor had assured her that things had a way of returning somewhat back to normal. Somewhat? What the hell did that mean? She did not want to be somewhat normal. She wanted complete normalcy. Her mother would know what to do. She had after all given birth to Meg then returned to her dancer's figure which she still retained after all these years.

Meg kept herself busy securing rooms for her mother and Roberto. Erik would more than likely have them stay with him but for the moment they were going to stay in the same hotel as she and Christine did. Raoul had let them stay for as long as they wished. When Meg had suggested she pay for her own room he had dismissed her offer kindly but firmly. Family did not charge other family members for assistance. That blessed man had even left word at the front desk that if Meg asked for a room for her Maman, the best available should be given to her. What a dear sweet man Raoul was.

As she had often lately, Meg considered the situation between Raoul, Christine and Erik. Meg was glad that any teenage fantasies she had about Erik had never taken wing as she had never really seen him. What a mess this would have been if she had eyes for Erik. Meg had only met one man who filled every corner of her mind. She paused in the process of putting her glove on her right hand.

She could well understand Christine's attraction to both men. What she could not understand was Christine's continued self-destructive behavior. Christine seemed to still be in control of her actions. Meg had not noticed anything out of the ordinary other than her inability to stay focused on one man. That business on the balconly Meg hoped to be a one time thing.

Knowing she loved Raoul so completely why did Christine not let Erik go? It was one thing to have an attraction for someone and quite another to act on that attraction, destroying your one chance for true happiness.

Goodness gracious if Meg had lain with every man she found attractive her bed would have burned with the friction of changing bodies, especially since she was with child. She had such wanton thoughts and longings. If Nadir was not such a gentleman she would have disgraced herself for sure. It was not Meg who kept things from going too far. It was Nadir who kept a cool head. At great cost to his sanity she was sure.

Meg put her gloves on then picked up her hat. Stepping over in front of the mirror she pinned the hat in place. She put the little net veil down. She turned one way then another. Who was she kidding? She needed no mystery added to her countenance. There was enough speculation being bandied from one hotel staff member to another. Meg hoped if…no not if…when she and Nadir married the gossip would finally be laid to rest. It did not matter that Raoul no longer resided with Christine and herself.

Meg had been utterly astounded when at the last minute Christine had practically begged Meg to share a suite with her. In the days since moving in Meg had learned that Christine was going through one of her periods of depression and she feared what she may do when the depression descends into the darkest regions of Christine's psyche. She needed Meg as an anchor to keep her grounded when the night terrors stalked Christine's dreams.

Glancing at the clock Meg called to Christine that it was time to leave. Meg had sent word with a bellboy that they would need their carriage. Meg's heart began to race. She was so excited that her mother would be here for her delivery. Meg had been afraid to admit it but truthfully she was frightened out of her wits at the thought of what was to come.

The carriage Raoul had placed at their disposal would wait for them outside the station while they waited for the train to arrive. Meg paced the platform. The platform was crowded with other people waiting for their own loved ones to come in with the train. She had to excuse herself sever times as she collided with people in the path of her pacing.

Meg had the forethought to snag a porter to help with the luggage. She had paid the man a sinfully large sum of money to stand idly by while they waited for the arrival of her mother. The second half of the ungodly fee she had promised when the luggage was on the carriage. She could not imagine her frugal mother having much luggage nor Roberto either. Papa, Meg corrected herself mentally. He had expressed many times his wish for her to call him Papa. Since Meg could not remember her own father she did not feel she would besmirch his memory by referring to another man as Papa.

The train pulled into the station with a shrill whistle as it spewed out steam on both sides. Meg strained to see her mother's distinguished form among so many travelers. The crowd blocked her vision of those descending the train steps.

After a few disappointing minutes Meg at last saw Roberto's tall distinguished figure descending the stairs as he turned to offer his hand to another behind him. Meg saw her mother's gloved hand before she saw anything else.

Once her mother came into view Meg and Christine both took off with unladylike abandon down the platform. Many stopped to stare in amusement to see a heavily pregnant woman galloping along with her skirts hiked up over her boots.

Christine and Meg nearly knocked Antoinette down. Roberto began to protest in worry but Antoinette shushed him before he could make his objections known or the reasons for them. He held his tongue at his wife's request.

"Oh Maman, mother, It is so good to see you. You see how much my English has improved? That is due to Raoul's diligence not any real effort on my part."

Antoinette unwound the strangle hold the too young women had around her neck and shoulders with laughter.

She held one hand of each young woman holding them away from her so she could get a good look at them from head to toe. They looked wonderful. Healthy and happy. Well there was the trace of a sad shadow in Christine's eyes but that was nothing unusual for her. Other than that they looked content.

Antoinette could not help but to look down at her child's growing belly. She laid her hand lovingly on that mound under Meg's dress. She smiled when she received a sturdy kick in response to her touch.

"Well now I suggest we take this little reunion to a more comfortable place than the train station platform. Do I need to find a cab Meg?" Roberto was just as Meg remembered him dark, kind and handsome. He had the most comforting voice she had ever heard other than Erik's. At least Erik's when he was not angry or bellowing out threats.

Much to Meg's surprise her mother had four trunks along with a couple of pieces of hand luggage. When Meg commented on the amount of luggage Antoinette remarked that one simply could not be in New York and not shop. To not take advantage of such an opportunity was almost a sacrilege.

Antoinette held her arms out to Christine. She knew that a face to face unpleasant conversation was long overdue but for now she was happy to see both her girls and know they were healthy and it seemed somewhat happy. With Christine one could not really tell what state of mind she was in until speaking for some time with her.

Roberto worriedly looked on. Antoinette should be off her feet. She needed rest. She had traveled far on an uncomfortable train at least what Roberto considered uncomfortable for a woman in her state.

"Antoinette I do not wish to cut short this emotional reunion but should we not make a move to find our hotel? You must be tired." Antoinette did not miss the worry hidden beneath her husband's voice. No matter how many times she reminded him that things would be fine he still worried. For him all this was new. It had been a while for her but the memories were still in her mind.

Antoinette exchanged looks with her husband. That look in his eyes let her know exactly what he was thinking. She began to blush. He was worried about her wellbeing ever since they had arrived in New York and found out the cause for her continued illness. His reason for a quick trip to the hotel was not for that reason alone. That look he gave her said he had more on his mind than her comfort. Roberto's look told Antoinette of his amorous intentions.

As much as she and the doctor had reassured him that these things had a way of taking their natural course Roberto wanted to be sure Antoinette had the best care possible until the end. He wanted to ensure that she was comfortable.

Quickly and efficiently Roberto maneuvered everyone out to the carriage with the porter struggling to keep the pile of trunks and luggage on the roll around cart. He could only shake his head at such blatant displays of wealth. He himself could fit everything he owned in one trunk and have room to spare.

Roberto helped the poor man lift the heavier trunks onto the back of the carriage. Both men spared a moment to pity the poor horses. At least there were two to share the burden. Roberto and the porter both heaved a sigh of relief when the entire massive mound of luggage was safely on the back of the carriage. The two men wiped their brows with handkerchiefs while the coachman helped the ladies to board the carriage.

The women chattered the whole way back to the hotel. They had so much to catch up with it seemed one would stop to draw breath and the next would continue the conversation. Roberto smiled lovingly at his wife. She was at last able to reassure herself that her little ducklings were well. At least physically, they seemed to be healthy.

Roberto could not help but marvel at the two younger women. They were two very different women indeed, both in looks and personality.

Meg, he knew was the younger, but seemed to always be caring for her sister as a mother might from what Antoinette had told him. Roberto's own observations had only confirmed what she had said. Christine was a woman who needed constant reassurance and guidance to thrive. There was a certain unstableness in her makeup that was just barely hidden beneath the surface. If one took the time to really study Christine you would see many layers beneath the beautiful diva exterior she showed the world. There were darker forces just below the outer civilized layer.

Christine seemed happy enough at the moment. She was animated and contributed to the conversation equally. Roberto was content to sit back while the women carried on a conversation around him. A man who had not had any family for so many years had suddenly been blessed with many added family members with more due to arrive in the future. He felt he could sympathize with Erik. Not in the sense that Roberto had suffered because of any deformity but because of a life that had been led in loneliness and solitude for over forty years.

Roberto had begun to despair of ever finding that one woman who made him feel as if he would not mind sharing every aspect of his life with her. Once he met Antoinette he had felt so much in such a short time he had moved quickly in case she got away. He had waited until he was forty to marry and he'd be damned if he would let her go because society dictated that they be proper and take time to come to know each other over years of meetings. After the first meeting Roberto had been sure. He had needed no further proof that Antoinette was his other half. She had felt the same much to his good fortune. He had not had to beg and plead with her to marry him ending his single solitary existence.

When they were settled in their room Antoinette and Roberto could not believe the luxurious rooms were to be theirs. They asked Meg if she was sure this is where they were to stay.

Meg and Christine both assured them that Raoul was a very generous man and had wanted them to feel as if this was their home. Antoinette reminded both young women where they had all been just a few short years ago. Home had never been this lavish even in the glorious richness of the opera house.

Once the luggage was brought to their room Meg suggested they freshen up then meet down in the dining room for tea. If they were not too tired they could then do a little site seeing. Meg had even suggested a visit to Katherine's to introduce her mother and Roberto to Fawn and Dove and of course Mrs. Graham. Meg had felt her mother and Mrs. Graham would have so much in common even though they led very different lives.

Antoinette agreed to the outing if Meg would come to speak with her alone for just a few minutes before they left. Meg knew what her mother wished to discuss. Everything that had not been spoken of as of yet would be a topic to discuss extensively in private. Meg could not deny her mother this request. She deserved to know all that had happened.

Meg arrived as promised an hour before they were all to meet for the trip out to Katherine's. It had been much easier to tell her mother every gruesome detail than she had thought it would be. To her credit her mother's mouth had tightened in anger and her face had turned red, but she had held back making any comment until Meg had finished.

Once she had been assured Meg had told her everything about her last months in France Antoinette had unleashed her anger at those horrid men. Such language had spewed out her mother's mouth Meg could only stare in shock.

Antoinette praised Raoul for ensuring those men never saw the light of day again. Antoinette bemoaned the fact that she had not been there for her daughter. She had so much anger and rage with no outlet to express it all. The culprits of the vicious crime were long dead, rotting in their graves while their souls lingered on in hell. That was the only real consolation Antoinette had was the surety that those men would for eternity be tormented in hell.

Once Meg had been reassured that her mother did not hold any blame against her for being in her present situation they cried for a bit then excitedly spoke of the coming event. Discussing the joys ahead for Meg as she became a mother brought tears to Antoinette's eyes once more. Her baby, her little girl was going to be a mother. Seeing her mother crying, naturally released Meg's tears which were never far away lately. Roberto coming into the room to remind them that Christine would more than likely be waiting for them, had both women drying their tears.

On the way out of town Meg could not hold back her eagerness when telling her mother about everyone she had met lately. A certain man, Nadir Khan was mentioned several times. Each time Meg spoke of him her eyes took on a special glow. Antoinette took special note of this man. She searched her memories and eventually his face came to her. They had corresponded in letters but what good were letters from thousands of miles in distance? She had not met him but did recall seeing him around the opera house. When everyone returned home Antoinette promised herself she would make it her business to find out about this man.

Meg told her mother all about Katherine and her bravery over the last eight years. Antoinette was duly impressed. Christine huffed throughout Meg's telling of Katherine's adventurous life and her daring rescue of the very man who had kidnapped her as well as the Indian woman Captain Richards had come to love.

When Meg began to include Erik in the conversation as she relayed to Antoinette how Katherine and Erik had become quite close Christine huffed once more blowing air out between her lips to show her boredom with the conversation.

"Christine unless you have suddenly turned into a train or a horse I wish you would please stop huffing like a steam engine and snorting like a horse. It is most annoying and quite unbecoming in a lady." Christine blushed as she looked at Antoinette in shock and embarrassment. Antoinette had never spoken to her in such a ridiculing manner before.

Antoinette patted Christine's knee giving her the same loving smile she had always given to Christine. Christine smiled shakily back feeling somewhat chagrined that her surrogate mother did not hold her in such seraphic regard as she did when Christine was younger. Or at least Christine had believed so as her Angel of Music had referred to her often as his Angel.

From time to time on the ride out to Katherine's Antoinette gave Christine a reassuring pat or smile. Antoinette and Meg had always been so protective of Christine. Antoinette had begun to think Meg's constant wish to be with Christine all the time had more to do with Christine's mental stability than any real wish to be at her side every waking moment.

Meg had loved Christine like a sister. She had cared for her like a mother. Antoinette had never once told Meg she knew about Meg's watch dog antics over the years. As long as it posed no danger to either child Antoinette had been content to let them handle things in their own way. Antoinette could have taken Christine to a doctor all those years ago but Christine would have had the stigma of instability pinned on her. She may even have been taken out of Antoinette's care and placed in an asylum. That would have killed Christine while killing Meg and Antoinette's spirits.

So Antoinette had watched over Meg as Meg watched over her sister Christine. The situation had not been ideal but it had been the only choice Antoinette had seen as one she could accept and live with comfortably.

As Meg predicted her mother and Mrs. Graham took to one another immediately. Fawn and Dove were shy as they always were with strangers but Antoinette and Roberto soon put them at ease.

Roberto watched Antoinette with an indulgent eye. He was glad to see her so happy. She had been so worried about Meg and Christine. She had even worried about Erik and Raoul. She had been in fear for the life of both men.

Soon he and Antoinette would have to let everyone else in on their little secret. For now he was willing to keep it between just himself and Antoinette.

Yes indeed the future did look rather rosy for everyone. None of them could know that as one dark cloud passed overhead then moved on another moved in to take its place with more danger and peril coming with the darkness.


	59. Chapter 58

**Chapter Fifty-eight**

**Returning Home**

Katherine and Erik passed the time enjoying one another's company while they exchanged information about their lives during the time in-between stops. Erik had not been overly anxious to participate in this exchange. He wanted to know every minute detail about Katherine but thought it best for her to know as little as possible about his past misdeeds. The murders especially concerned him. The ones in Paris and the one he had committed here in America. Persia he thought best buried and forgotten.

The one other secret he did not want to expose for Katherine's consideration was his part in Susan's suicide and the loss of a child he had not known about. Not having knowledge of her conception, Erik had decided long ago did excuse his poor behavior. A responsible man would have taken measures to prevent such a possibility. He did not want Katherine to know how callous and uncaring he had been in that time of his life. As it was they had not completely committed to one another in that final act but he knew would be only a matter of time before he would want more than just the physical gratification. Hell he wanted it now.

With Katherine's gentle coaxing Erik found himself telling her more and more of his life. To her credit she did not shrink away with the revelation of every horrible act he had committed. Erik spared himself nothing. Once he began the confession it turned into more of a cleansing process. With each confessed misdeed he felt a weight leave him. When he looked in Katherine's eyes he did not see judgment, he only saw understanding staring back at him.

When he had come to the part of his second greatest shame, loving Christine blindly even after she had betrayed him Katherine had held his hand tighter while she laid a loving hand on his forearm.

Erik's tongue had baulked at speaking the words that would damn him forever in Katherine's eyes but he knew that Katherine had the right to know all his transgressions.

Erik struggled as he told her his number one regret in his life. The loss of such a caring person as Susan had been as well as his unborn child. He did not coat anything with deceptive words or excuses. Erik told the stark truth of his culpability in everything.

Once he had finished he waited, listening to the sound of the clacking of the train along the tracks as he waited for some sort of reaction from Katherine.

She now knew for certain he was a murderer, liar, cheat, extortionist, arsonist, and various other perverted things. She had not let go of his hand. She leaned her head on his shoulder without any further reaction. Erik began to despair of what he had done. Would this confession end all his dreams? His heart would not contemplate such a thing while his mind chided him for his stupidity in confessing every gruesome detail of his life.

At last Katherine lifted her eyes to meet his. Hers were filled with tears. She placed both her hands on his face. She frowned when her palm felt the coldness of the outer shell of the mask, knowing the warmth of Erik's skin was hidden underneath. With her eyes on his masked face Erik could not doubt what caused her frown. He was willing to rip it off if that was what it took to smooth the lines from her face. She would not ask that of him while others were present but he would offer to do so if it pleased her.

He opened his mouth to do just that when Katherine laid her fingers against his lips to silence him. Silently she shook her head as a somewhat quivery smile crossed her lips.

"Erik I knew some of what you have told me but I had no idea just how horrible your life had been. How did you survive so long in such isolation? Yes you have done horrible things but not anything since I have known you. I only know this wonderful man who at times can be rather surly but not unredeemable. Oh my darling Erik, just know that I will never judge you nor leave you willingly. Your past is past. We can not change what has happened we can only have regrets and decide to make the future better."

"Know that also for every thought of love you had for Christine you had better have three for me. I daresay that shall keep your mind occupied with no one but me. If that does not keep your mind from straying perhaps this will." Katherine proceeded to whisper such delightfully naughty suggestions in Erik's ear that he thought he might catch fire. His face and ears indeed looked as if he had had too much sun. His lower region hardened massively upon hearing her wicked suggestions.

Katherine had not been allowed to leave the car when they stopped in the little towns. This last stop had been no different. Erik had threatened to sit on her if she so much as stuck her foot out the door. Naturally Katherine had toyed with the idea of testing just how serious he had been then decided she must get out of this box. When she opened the door she had found a cross looking Erik standing leaning against the safety rail at the back of the car. He was leaning back with his arms crossed over his chest and his ankles crossed.

Erik straightened to his full commanding height upon seeing Katherine's guilty look on her face which she hurriedly tried to hide.

"I thought you might try to test me. I waited here just to see how long it would take you to try to leave. Two minutes. That was one minute longer than I allowed you. God damned Raoul won that bet."

Erik took the few steps forward that had him through the door forcing Katherine to step back. She stumbled back awkwardly flailing her hand behind her to seek the safety of the settee.

She began to bluster, "I…I…I was only going to get a little fresh air. You…they…damn it, it's not fair that everyone else gets out while I have to sit here and fester in this broiling pan." Katherine knew she sounded overly dramatic but if it got her what she wanted she was willing to seem more pathetic than she actually was. For emphasis she inhaled sharply then put her palm where her shoulder wound was. Adding a pained look to her brow she looked beneath her lashes to see what affect she had on Erik. The damn man was smiling. She had not fooled him one bit.

Shedding all pretenses Katherine stood erect as she spoke, "I am not an invalid Erik. A little walk will not do any damage. Fresh air can only do me good."

Erik had to concede that the air in the car was a bit stale. This was easily remedied by opening the windows. He turned in triumph toward Katherine after opening all ten windows. That good woman scowled at him. Erik knew how badly she wanted to get out of this tiny box. It was luxurious and quite comfortable but it could get quite claustrophobic with so many in the small space. What was a large area for two or three seemed less so for seven adults and one child.

She was still weak from the loss of blood. She grew stronger every day but still had to be cautious. The doctor had reopened the wounds to make sure all the debris from the bullets had been removed and to clean away the infection that had developed before Matthew had been able to seal the wounds. The doctor had commended Matthew on the method he had used. It was most affective. If he had been able to seal the wounds sooner more than likely they would not have become infected.

Katherine threw her hands up in the air in surrender. She huffed a good deal then flopped down on one of the two couches. With the windows open it was a bit cooler with a little breeze coming through.

Erik sat beside her. Pulling her legs up onto his lap he began to slide his hand up her leg.

"Erik," Katherine said with a warning in her voice. Erik glanced out the window. No one would return until the train was due to leave. The others had gone into the small hotel to have a cool drink while they waited for the water that ran the steam engine to be replenished as well as unload the merchandise delivered to the small town. The horses would need to be exercised. The engineer had said it could be as long as an hour to an hour and a half. No one would return until the train was ready to leave.

Even Leg Grabber had gone. Not without some protests. Why she preferred Erik to anyone else was a great mystery to Erik himself. He was not overly kind. Spoke gruffly to her. He had nothing more to do with her than absolutely necessary. Well there was that one night she had come sniffling down the hall when he had been returning to Katherine's room after sneaking downstairs to get a snack.

He had been humming to himself softly so as not to wake anyone. Katherine was on the mend and he felt somewhat joyous at the prospect that she would be up and around in a day or two.

Quanah had run to him. Like an idiot he had scooped her into his arms. Once her arms had latched around his neck nothing short of a crowbar would have torn her loose.

She had felt kind of nice against his chest all warm and soft. Her little face buried in his neck. Erik had an almost irresistible urge to hug her tightly in return. He had not as he did not want to encourage the child. He had taken her into Katherine's room with him and sang her to sleep as he rocked back and forth in the rocking chair. He had laid her in Katherine's bed. He could not help thinking how right Katherine looked with that little one beside her.

Dismissing everyone from his mind except Katherine he tempted softly, "No one will come. They are no more eager to be cooped up in this box than you are. Unless…unless you do not want to…damn it I am a selfish bastard. Here you lay with wounds yet unhealed and all I can think of is having you on the couch in a most beastly fashion."

Katherine stopped Erik from placing her legs back on the floor with a touch to his arm. "Erik I am injured yes, incapable of enjoying you, no. Do you realize it has been over a week since we…well, since we indulged?"

If Katherine had asked he could have recited down to the second how long it had been since they had shared any real intimacies. Even to steal a kiss they had to be clever to sneak away with so many people around. At first Katherine had been too ill to do anything other than lie and rest. As she regained her strength she had joined the others at the table for meals. Erik had been hoping she would fain weakness so they might have time alone in her room. It did not help that Leg Grabber was always sneaking up on him.

"Oh yes indeed my good woman I know exactly how long it has been. You do not know how close I have come to stealing you away and telling the others to fu…to go to hell. Since I no longer kidnap my potential lovers I had to wait."

Katherine playfully threw one of the little pillows under her head at Erik as she giggled, "You had best not be kidnapping any women unless you wish to be minus some essential parts. I am rethinking my decision to allow you full control of the opera house. Who knows what little sneaking soprano might try to seduce you?" Katherine was only half joking. Some part of her still held jealousy that Erik had known and loved Christine first. No matter how many times Erik reassured her it still felt like a sore that would not heal that Katherine picked at every now and then.

Katherine had indeed been rethinking her decision to give Erik complete control of the threatre. She had not told him yet in any serious discussion so she could still change her mind. When she thought of all the beautiful women who crossed that stage in one capacity or another she could not help but have a few womanly concerns. Erik had so far been able to remove those doubts and worries when they reared their ugly head.

"Ah my love since I do indeed wish to keep all my parts intact I will just have to convince you that I want only you. If I kidnap anyone it would be you and only you." As he spoke he bent down to kiss her lips beginning with soft strokes of his lips and tongue. A few seconds later the passion built until it had to be unleashed.

Once passion had been spent and Erik had brought a pan of water so Katherine could freshen up he sat and watched her as she herself donned her clothing. As he watched her he pulled on his boots. He was re-buttoning his shirt when his hands stilled.

As he watched her wind the long thick braid around her head then place strategic pins to hold the hair in place Erik thought that if he and Katherine were to marry moments like this could happen daily.

He could even brush out her long luxurious golden tresses. His hands began to twitch in anticipation. Erik loved Katherine's hair. How he could have ever thought dark hair was glorious was lost to him as he looked upon Katherine's shining glory.

Erik could not stop the images of little golden haired girls and boys running around him and Katherine in her garden behind her home.

The children of his imagination were perfect and beautiful. He frowned a moment when a dark haired cherubic face appeared among all those blond haired pale faces. Not one marred face among them. He even thought he could hear their laughter. If Erik could be certain of this outcome he would have no hesitation about becoming a father.

He knew this was one stumbling block he would have to conquer as Katherine had expressed her desire for children. Imagining her swelling with his child inside of her gave him such an unexpected jolt of want he could hardly contain himself. He was a little ashamed that he could become aroused so quickly and forcefully by just imagining planting his seed in Katherine's belly.

Katherine and Erik had just enough time to straighten everything that had been mussed during their exchange of passion before everyone returned to the car.

Raoul had thoughtfully brought a nice cold pitcher of lemonade and a plate of pastries back with him. The conductor had assured the restaurant owner his dishes would be returned on the trip back.

Quite often passengers did this when the dining car was not open due to the shortage of passengers or the short distance of travel. On this trip the dining car had not been opened as they were making so many stops along the way to load and unload passengers and cargo. If they had only been making stops to obtain more water the dining car would have been open.

Following in Raoul's shadow was little Quanah. As soon as she saw Erik Raoul lost her interest. Climbing onto the seat beside Erik Quanah leaned against his side. She yawned widely. A short while later Quanah had fallen asleep leaning contentedly against Erik.

Coralee's car was equipped with a small kitchen that was well stocked but they had not felt comfortable partaking of anymore of her hospitality. She had been more than generous as it was. They had only been obliged to drink the cold water that was kept cool in a metal container that had some sort of insulating material surrounding the inner layer. A block of ice had been placed inside with a small amount of water. Erik had studied the container inside and out. He would be implementing this idea himself only his design would be better.

Everyone dosed off and on the rest of the journey. Little Quanah had lain down across Erik's lap. He could not stop the hand that kept returning to caress her soft cheek or silky hair. Erik felt a cut so deep he thought it would never heal. He could not have this. He dare not. Stolen moments would be all he could allow himself. Anything else would be impossible.

The train gave off a loud whistle signaling its arrival in the Richmond train station. The passengers in Coralee's car did not have many belongings other than the horses that had traveled in their own private car. Two men had been hired to stay with the animals to make sure they had water and feed. When the train made its scheduled stops the animals were taken out to be exercised as well as comforted by their owners.

Erik had held back as the others disembarked. He lifted Katherine into his arms before striding toward the exit door. Katherine let out a very feminine giggle as Erik had swooped her up. She wound her arms around his neck even as she told him this was unnecessary. She was perfectly capable of walking.

Erik ignored her. He had tried to move his leg only to feel a familiar weight along with a tight constriction around the calve of his leg. Looking down his eyes met those damn dewy fresh innocent brown orbs of Leg Grabber, or as she was known to Katherine and the others as Quanah. He sighed knowing it was useless to try to shake her off. He cursed the other cowardly gentlemen who had rushed out as if the car were ablaze. Now Erik knew the true reason for their haste. It had not been so much that they were anxious to see any female as it was that they were trying to avoid one.

They were all on the run from a tiny three year old female who had them all afraid to even touch her in fear that she might break or do something ghastly as children were known to do. Moon Shadow had laughed until her sides almost split over their display of cowardice during the last week. She had assured them Quanah was long past the time of having no control of nature's call.

Erik had thought Katherine would be leaving the little girl with Moon Shadow but that little charmer had worked her magic on Katherine who would not hear of leaving Quanah behind. Erik had wanted to argue but knew Katherine had some sort of attachment to the child. All Erik saw was another person interfering in his relationship with Katherine, at least that is what he told himself. He would not acknowledge the ripple of satisfaction to know that child would still be in his life in some capacity. He tamped down any feeling he had felt of regret when he thought Leg Grabber would not be coming with them even as he saw leaving her behind the logical choice in his estimation.

Erik continued to hold Katherine until he stepped down onto the station platform. Katherine had to explain to the child that Erik needed both legs to climb down the steps of the train. Quanah reluctantly let go of Erik's leg.

Once on solid ground again he lowered Katherine to her feet. Seconds later he felt the leg hugging leach wrapping her arms around his left leg again. Erik glared at an unrepentant Raoul who had managed to find enough courage to lift the child down onto the platform then make a hasty retreat. God damned coward.

A familiar feminine voice drew his attention immediately. He blinked to be sure his eyes were not deceiving him. He slowly lowered Katherine to her feet. Once he made sure she could stand on her own he let her go so he could turn fully toward his old friend, his first and only friend for over twenty years.

Madame Giry, Antoinette Mercer now. Antoinette. Erik saw all of these women in the one. An emotion he had never felt before had his feet moving toward this woman he considered almost like family. Hell she had been the only family he had for many years. Antoinette had been his only contact with the outside world.

Picking up the little girl he handed her to Katherine. Once Katherine had a firm hold of Quanah he began to move toward Antoinette.

When he was within a few feet of the group of people Antoinette felt the eyes drawing her gaze to the side of her. She turned to get a better view. Erik. Her Erik stood their in broad daylight as proud and tall as any gentleman. His pallor from his years under the opera house had been replaced by a healthy tan. He had filled out nicely. This was the Erik she had always hoped would emerge from beneath the opera house.

She ran the few steps it took for her to reach Erik. He lifted her up in his strong arms twirling her around with his arms tightly hugging her to him while he closed his eyes to hold back the tears that he felt surely would fall.

Roberto wanted to step forward to caution this man to be careful of Antoinette. This man could only be the infamous Erik Antoinette spoke of as if he were close to God almighty himself. Not in deeds but in the special gifts he had been bestowed with in lieu of a face that had been made with less than perfection. Antoinette could not stop expounding this Erik's many virtues and talents. She had expressed how proud Erik had made her with his successes since living above ground.

When Roberto had after one such lengthy diatribe expressed just a bit of jealousy Antoinette had gone out of her way to show him he had no need to worry. That little session of persuasion had resulted in their current situation.

**A/N: Anyone who has been reading and not reviewed may jump in at any time. Even if you just drop in now and then. It is so nice to see the number of reviews growing steadily. Reveiws are my only paycheck for all my work. Please take the time to pay me just a little. I work very cheaply. If you favorited me please feel free to review also. Thanks to those who do review.**


	60. Chapter 59

**Chapter Fifty-nine**

**Meg's White Knight **

Pandemonium had broken out once everyone began to greet and meet the newcomers. Introductions had been performed and assessments had been made.

Gamm had graciously sent Martin with another man with a wagon to take Katherine and the others home. She had instructed Martin to issue an invitation to diner and he had been threatened with dire things if he came back with no less than he should.

Being at Katherine's had given everyone a chance to become acquainted somewhat. Everyone knew it would not be polite or proper to seek a private audience with those they wished most to speak with privately. There would be time for that later. On that first evening back among family and friends they had rejoiced in the fact that everyone had returned and life could move on with a happier note than when the others had left.

Nadir considered two days a sufficient amount of time to wait before he made his move on Meg. He had it all planned out in his mind. Of course as such things are apt to do they went awry of his plans.

He had gone to the hotel where Meg and her family were staying. He now sat in the lobby awaiting the bellboy to return with permission for Nadir to present himself at Meg's door. It seemed to be taking that young man an extraordinarily long time. Fifteen minutes had come and gone.

Glancing toward the ping of the elevator Nadir saw the young man coming toward him smiling. That seemed to indicate good news.

Nadir stood awaiting the young man's report. He barely contained his shout of triumph when given Meg's message that she would be honored to receive him.

Nadir made quick work of using the elevator then quick strides down the hallway until he stood in front of Meg and Christine's hotel room.

Smoothing his hand over his hair he also checked to be sure his clothing looked proper before knocking upon the door. One could say he was taken aback when Roberto opened the door for him to enter.

The man bowed slightly waving him in with his hand. Nadir could feel the perspiration begin to break out all over his skin with an uncomfortable sticky sensation. He began to have feel a prickly itch as well. He hoped he had not broken out in nervous hives.

This could only be Monsieur Roberto Mercer, Meg's stepfather as Nadir did remember meeting him briefly that night at Katherine's. If the man's face had any bearing on his current mood Nadir could only assume dire and unpleasant thoughts occupied the man at the moment.

Once inside Nadir looked expectantly around for Meg. He could see neither her nor Christine. The woman he knew to be Antoinette Giry, now Mercer, sat in a straight backed chair with an equally straight poker stiff posture of her own.

"Monsieur Khan please come in and be seated. I will not have you hovering over me." Antoinette had mixed feelings about Meg's announcement that she loved Nadir. Her further declaration that as soon as he had met both Roberto and her Maman he would be proposing properly and Meg would be accepting had disconcerted Antoinette as well.

Antoinette had known Meg would eventually grow into a woman but did it have to be so sudden? She had not been there for Meg during her most horrible moments. Others had seen her through that time. Antoinette could see that Meg had chosen correctly how to handle things on her own. She had wanted to face things on her own without her meddling, controlling Maman hovering over her, trying to keep her a child when she needed to become a woman.

If Raoul had not come forward Antoinette would never have even considered allowing her daughter to face what she would have to deal with being an unwed mother. The fact that her condition had been the result of a cruel and violent rape only added to Meg's burden.

From what Antoinette and Roberto had observed Meg seemed to be flourishing. This fact while pleasing had also been bitter as Antoinette would miss her little girl.

Soon Meg would be presenting her with her first grandchild. A grandchild would take the sting out of losing her little girl. Antoinette smiled thinking about her own little secret that had yet to be revealed to everyone.

Nadir sat down nervously wondering if Antoinette's smile came with thoughts of his demise. Tentatively he returned the smile only to have the woman before him scowl toward him with pinched lips.

Roberto stood behind Antoinette looking dour with his arms folded affectively shutting Nadir out of his personal space. Folded arms in Nadir's mind represented an impenetrable wall. Nadir said a quick prayer before stumbling ahead in speech, "Monsieur and Madame Mercer please allow me to reassure you…" Antoinette cut him off coldly.

"What are your intentions Monsieur? Regardless of what you may think my Meg is a decent honorable woman. I will not have some…some man come along leading her on with promises only to leave once the bloom has withered on the vine. Meg comes with responsibilities. If you make promises to her then find you are unable to fulfill them I am sure you know what I would do to you. Let me also say that what Roberto or I would do would be far less painful than what Erik would do"

Nadir could well imagine the horrible tortures Erik's mind could conjure, in fact he had a ring side seat in Persia to observe just a few of Erik's twisted inventions. Knowing his intentions toward Meg to be honorable as well as a lifetime commitment Nadir had no worries about any tortures he may face other than those of a mother letting go of her only daughter.

"Madame…"

"Please, we are not complete strangers. You may call me Antoinette and this as you know is Roberto." Nadir started to rise to shake Roberto's hand but one look at that gentleman's face had Nadir thinking hell would freeze over long before he offered Nadir his hand. Roberto merely nodded his head in acknowledgment.

Hurriedly reseating himself so that he would not look foolish with his hand dangling in mid air, Nadir continued, "Antoinette, please allow me to assure you that I only have Meg's best interests at heart. It is my intention, with your approval of course to have Meg as my wife. This is not a decision I would make without careful consideration. I have waited a long time for another woman to enter my life. I can see no other woman being by my side. If I may be so bold I wish to ask permission to propose properly to Meg. I do not wish to show any disparagement toward Meg but in light of her circumstances I would hope to make her my wife within a few weeks. I would like for her child to bear my name. I want everyone to know I am the father. I already feel in some way connected to the child. If you place your daughter and grandchild in my hands for safekeeping I can promise only Allah's will may separate us. As to the matter of providing for both of them I have brought with me my bank book as well as the name of my financial advisor. As you may well imagine anyone who associates with Erik finds the golden goose if they adhere to his advice. I myself follow in his shadow only a few short steps behind."

Nadir waited at the end of his speech. He took in a large lungful of much needed air. He looked from one to the other. When they both continued to look back at him with stoic silence his confidence began to head toward his shoes. What more could he have said? Should he have presented them with more documentation proving his ability to provide for a wife and child?

Antoinette looked over her shoulder at her husband. He gave the slightest nod of his head. When she faced Nadir once more it seemed as if another woman had taken the seat opposite him.

Her face looked radiant. She beamed toward a shocked Nadir. From there things became much more congenial. Plans discussed and confirmed. Nadir had been welcomed into the family with open arms. Antoinette could not help but feel that any man, who would love her daughter enough to willingly take the responsibility for another man's child, had earned his place in heaven as well as her heart.

Before Nadir left Antoinette gave him the room number of the suite where Meg and Christine had been sent so that a private conversation could be held with Nadir. Antoinette told him to send Christine back so he and Meg could have some private time of their own. Did he not have a proposal to make? Indeed he did.

Antoinette warned him he would only be allowed ten minutes then they would be reclaiming their room. Roberto, protested. His Italian blood would not consider anything less than twenty minutes for the lovers to do things properly. Reluctantly Antoinette conceded. Twenty minutes and not one second more Antoinette decreed.

Once Nadir had closed the door behind him Nadir ran down the hall like a young boy in his eagerness. He had gone to Meg surprising her by lifting her off her feet then twirling her around. He kissed her soundly just before he asked her to be his wife. That good woman knew when she had a good man. Joyously she said yes without even an infinitesimal second's hesitation.

Nadir's jaunty step when he entered the house would have given away the success of his mission even if the soppy grin spread across his face did not.

Erik and Darius concluded a celebration was in order. The best champagne had been brought up from Erik's cellar. Nothing but the best would do for Erik's best friend. Erik had long ago concluded that Nadir and Darius were indeed his friends. Who else would have stood beside him during his insanity over the last three years? Nadir had been doing that even longer than Darius.

Julia volunteered to prepare a feast fit for a king. She would not here of them going to some restaurant. Did Erik wish to insult her cooking? He did not. Julia had been left with the food preparations while Marianne sent out the invitations with an eager Billy. Whenever he did any favors for Miss Montgomery or Mr. Fontaine he could be sure that tickets for some show would come along later even though he would receive a generous tip at the time of service.

Everyone eagerly accepted the invitation. Darius felt the urge to ask his own question to a certain woman holding his heart in the palm of her hand. He would wait until the excitement settled down over Nadir and Meg's announcement of their impending marriage. He would not want to steal any of the glory that should be for the newly engaged couple.

Christine felt happy for Meg while at the same time feeling her own happiness slipping through her fingers. Hayden had proven to be a loyal friend as well as a wonderful lover. Upon his return Christine could not help but notice how virile he seemed once risking his life to those wild savages not to mention the possibility of being shot by the American soldiers as well.

Although she did enjoy Hayden if she were honest with herself she would turn from him if given any small bit of encouragement from either Raoul or Erik. As Hayden became more enamored Christine pulled back. She did not want to give him false hope.

Raoul had proven himself to be a wonderful lover. Erik she imagined would be a little more demanding as well as more giving. For him it would be an exchange where he had to please as well as gain pleasure himself. Some men did not concern themselves with a woman's pleasure. Most of Christine's lovers had given her some sort of satisfaction in one way or another. It would always dig at her mind to know how intimacy would be with Erik. She still had hopes of finding out.

Everyone wished the couple complete happiness. That is everyone except for the dark shadow lurking outside Erik's home. Malice and jealousy filled his heart. His thoughts were dark and treacherous indeed. A spark arced through the night. Cigar smoke, like the puff of sulfur from hell hung in the air. Indeed if anyone could see into this man's soul they would think he had indeed made a pact with the devil. Familial ties did not stay this man's conscience. He would gladly kill his cousin if given the opportunity. But no, he must wait until such time as he could reclaim what was rightfully his. **_Enjoy your time dear cousin. Soon dear cousin, soon. _**The dark figure turned and manical laughter echoed in the night.

**_A/N: Done done done da. Evil walks among them. Please review. _**


	61. Chapter 60

**Chapter Sixty**

**Romance, Proposals and Plans **

Things were just returning back to normal. Everyone had to readjust as new people and situations had been introduced into their odd group. The returning heroes had been fussed over and pampered. Everyone went back to their old routine with little changes to accommodate those new to their acquaintance.

Mrs. Graham had shooed every out of Katherine's room that day except for the little angel Katherine had brought back with her. That little one received extra little treats once she had been given a bath and deloused. It would seem the army had been less than diligent with the care and feeding of their captives.

Erik had indeed invited Antoinette to stay in his home as long as she wished. Roberto had been a little stubborn as he still had not completely accepted that Erik could not be around his lovely wife and not desire her. Antoinette could not help but compare Roberto to Erik in that respect. Erik too had always been and still was possessive and stubborn.

In the end the invitation had been left open. At any time Antoinette grew tired of hotel life she was free to move to Erik's home.

The number of curses Gamm had thrown around aimed at no one in particular would have turned the air blue and burned the ears of anyone within hearing distance when she had given Quanah her bath. Fortunately her cursing had all been in Gaelic so no one had been the wiser. The angry tone touted the message loud and clear.

Erik spent so much time at Katherine's home during those first few days of her recovery, Matthew causally observed he would save time, wear and tear on his horse if he moved in. Erik had only scowled then promptly ignored Matthew as Mrs. Graham had given him permission to visit Katherine in her room if he left the door open. As much as Katherine wanted to return to normal she still tired easily so rested in the heat of the day then joined everyone for dinner.

Fawn and Dove had kept her company when Erik could not be with her, keeping her apprised of Matthew's budding romance as well as the others. Antoinette and Meg had made several visits with Roberto tagging along. Katherine had told him Erik would be happy to show him around town if he liked. Roberto had gently, but firmly refused stating his place was at his wife's side. Roberto would be taking no chances with Antoinette. Soon they would have to make Antoinette's condition known. The ladies giggled and compared their own beaus or in Antoinette's case a husband. Katherine thought that indeed Roberto was a man among men. He did not seem to mind all the chattering women or their womanly conversations.

Matthew had confided in Katherine that he had been looking at rings. For now he had only been looking. Before he asked Emily to marry him Matthew wanted to see his mother. She had been out of the country lately but he thought she might be due back home soon. That is what the reply to his telegram said that he had sent. Lucky for him that his mother lived in the same home she had been born and raised in.

Matthew remembered the house a little and his grandfather, although his grandfather remained a shadowy figure that raged at him when he had first been introduced to him. Over the years Matthew had pushed all those unpleasant days into a far corner on his mind. He had so many good memories why would he worry over those unpleasant times he had spent with a man that hated him?

When Matthew asked her Katherine recounted the days she and Emily had spent together. They had been so close then and it seemed even though they had been separated for so many years their friendship had survived.

Romance was in the air. Darius had gone to the jewelers just to look as well he confided to Raoul. Those two had become thick as thieves since their return. If a ring caught his eye and it seemed to be something Dove would like then Darius considered it would be fates way to guide him down the right path.

Katherine had wanted to do something special for Meg as her special wedding gift to the bride. She decided to invite all the women to dinner at The Embassy Hotel as it had the best food as well as being convenient for everyone. Katherine had even included Christine. Well really she had no choice.

After dinner the women would go to the theatre. Katherine had reserved one of the best boxes. Why not take advantage of her position as one of the major stockholders? They would catch an early performance since Meg tired easily.

Matthew and Erik had insisted that they deliver the women to the theatre then arrange for a cab to take them to the hotel for dinner where they would spend the night.

It was now only eight o'clock. Erik and Matthew had escorted the women to the door of the theatre. Once the door closed behind them and Erik could free his mind to concentrate on other things than how beautiful Katherine was he felt the hair rise on the back of his neck.

Making it seem as if he were simply turning around to make his way back to the carriage, Erik quickly cataloged everyone and everything within his immediate area.

Standing in the shadows Erik made out the silhouette of a man. He saw a red glow as the man puffed at a cigar or cigarette. Erik did not have to see the man to know who he was. Jackson Tyler. Just as the name shouted out in his mind the man stepped out into the light so that half his face remained in shadow. Only the left side of his face could be seen. To Erik it seemed the man mocked him with this clever maneuvering. Jackson's face looked as if he wore a shadow mask on the right side of his face.

Matthew noting Erik's fixed concentration and stiff posture, asked, "Erik is something wrong?"

"Across the street. See that man with the big cigar looking this way?"

Erik's tense tone made every instinct Matthew had kick in ready to step into action. His eyes scanned the crowded street. He passed over the well dressed man then his eyes zipped back.

Matthew couldn't see the man's face clearly but something in the way he held himself spoke of arrogance. The shadowed figure stepped further into the light so that his face could be seen, then he spit into the gutter contemptuously. A gentleman would not do that. This man clearly wanted to make a statement. Since Matthew did not know him he assumed Erik hadd this man's ire directed at him.

Casually Jackson tipped his hat toward Erik in a mocking salute. Erik took a step toward the street wanting to cross over so that he might teach that man once and for all that no one messed with him or anyone connected to him.

Matthew grabbed his arm staying his quick movement forward as he spoke trying to reason with Erik, "No Erik. If you start anything you may end up behind bars. Whatever differences you have with this man you cannot settle them in a street brawl. Think of Katherine and the others that care for you."

"Damn it I am thinking of them. That man has something cooking in his brain I know. I know how he thinks. Hell I used to be him. I stalked Christine from morning till night. I wanted to know every single thing she did from her first waking moment until she closed her eyes at night. Tyler appears too many times in places Katherine will be for it to be an accident. I do not like or trust him."

"If you are worried about him find someone you trust to keep an eye on him. I think that Ox fellow would be ideal. He knows the people of the district. Perhaps he can snoop around a bit."

Erik agreed to let things be for tonight but he knew that soon something would have to be done.

Jackson watched as Erik and Matthew stepped into the carriage and left. Chuckling eerily to himself, Jackson could not have been more pleased with this little test. His poor cousin had no clue. He had not recognized him at all whereas Jackson could pick his damned ill born cousin out of a hundred people.

Now that he could be sure his cousin could not expose him Jackson gleefully anticipated moving forward with his plan. He grew hard just thinking of Katherine sharing his bed. The things he would teach her. He would be the man Katherine remembered not some freaks of nature. Soon both Matthew and Erik would be dead if Jackson could work that into his plan without drawing too much attention.

Dear cousin it is time we became reacquainted.

**A/N: Here I am begging again. Please review. I have been gone this whole weekend camping in Kentucky. I had hoped to come home to some lovely reviews but I only had one additional one since Thursday. I left Friday morning. Oh well perhaps those who didn't review last chapter will be kind enough to leave me something this time. Jedi SteelWolf asked if "leg grabber" will be getting a Christian name and indeed she will and it may surprise everyone what it is. **


	62. Chapter 61

**Chapter Sixty-one**

**Bonding**

Matthew had dropped off Erik with the promise to watch carefully over Katherine. They both would have worried more if they had known Jackson had already been to Katherine's home watching as she slept.

Erik had just begun to relax when the front door buzzer sounded. He saw Julia practically running to the door. It had not rung that many times that it should have concerned her.

Julia looked quite flushed when she showed Ox into Erik's study. Hastily she left before Erik could ask if Ox wanted a drink or something to eat. Seated behind his desk it slowly sank into Erik's mind that this man before him was truly Ox.

Erik looked at the man standing before him. Surely his eyes were deceiving him. The man standing before him wore a black suit with a pristine white shirt. His hair was freshly trimmed and his face shaved smoothly. Sniffing the air Erik could detect the odor of some man's cologne.

Uncomfortable with such concentrated interest from another man Ox belligerently shouted, "What the fuck are ye' lookin' at Erik me lad? Have ye' no seen a gent before in all his finery? As I recall ye' cut a fine figure yourself."

Erik shook his head in disbelief as he said with mockery as he stood up behind his desk, "I thought you might be some apparition. The face was similar to one I have seen before but all this," Erik paused to wave his hand to indicate Ox's attire, "All this has somewhat astounded me. Might I ask what all this finery is in aid of? It cannot be for me surely as if it is I shall do you some harm."

Erik folded his arms across his chest spreading his legs apart slightly indicating he had time to wait for an answer and he damn well would have one.

Ox shuffled his feet uncomfortably while he dropped his eyes to the floor of Erik's study. Ox would rather be anywhere other than standing here in front of Erik looking like some God damned dandy. He who had swore never to fall prey to what high society deemed the correct dress for men looked like some pretty boy society lad. Ox had always been of the opinion that real men wore what they damn well pleased and told society to go fuck themselves. Now here he was trussed up like some wooden figure of a man like what stood in storefront windows.

Ox used his fingers to loosen the stranglehold the tie seemed to have on his throat. Damned if Erik's lasso wasn't just a might loser than this damn tie he had knotted around his own throat.

"Don't be daft boyo. Well now, ye' see it's like this lad, for a bit now, oh a week I suppose, I been a callin' on that fine lass Julia. We have a sort of date for this evening." Ox glared at Erik daring him to laugh or joke about him not being fit to touch the hem of Julia's dress. Damn if he didn't think it himself but he'd not let any man belittle him not even Erik.

Erik was astounded. Julia. His Julia had agreed to an evening, alone, with Ox? Ox the most offensive, uncouth person Erik knew had gained consent from Julia to let Ox take her out? It was beyond what Erik could comprehend.

Julia who feared men because of her past had agreed to spend time with this walking, talking, self-professed Lothario? Bed them, and then leave them wanting more Ox? This had been her choice to try her newly won confidence as a woman on?

"Ox I thought I had warned you about getting involved with the women of my acquaintance." Erik glared trying to intimidate the man which he knew was useless. Once Ox had learned he did not harbor any intentions of actually harming him the man had been insufferably cocky. Not that Erik minded as a rule. Ox had proven to be most helpful in the warehouse district that belonged to Erik. Well technically Erik and Katherine. As Erik and Katherine had become closer the issue of ownership and control had become a moot point. Katherine had practically given him carte blanche to do as he wished.

Thinking quickly Ox smiled devilishly before giving Erik an explanation he was sure Erik was not going to like one bit.

"Well now let's just see here a minute. I believe the list contained Katherine, Meg, Christine, Fawn, and the oh so very lovely Dove. No can't say as I remember hearin' any Julia listed in the hands off warnin'." Ox smirked having won the point. He shifted his belt in a challenging manner. One which Erik was likely to accept Ox decided as Erik's dark scowl got even darker.

Before Erik could comment Julia herself came in followed by an equally bewildered Nadir and Darius. Erik glared at Nadir and Darius as if this were somehow their fault. Nadir shrugged then looked at Darius who shrugged. Nadir and Darius turned to Erik shrugging their shoulders in unison in answer to Erik's glare. When Erik turned back to ask Julia if she had lost her mind he saw the back of that good lady as she slipped through the door followed by the devilishly pleased Ox. Ox bowed in mockery to the three bemused gentlemen then went out the door closing it with a soft click.

"Well God damn it do not just stand there. Go after them. We cannot let that man use his wicked ways on Julia. We all know what Ox is like. He'll work his charm on her then wheedle his way into her bed. Or charm her with fine food, wine and some sickeningly romantic music. Then he will seduce her into _**his**_ bed."

Darius put his hands in his pockets then said casually, "Like you have done Erik, many times before? Imagine taking a woman out with the express purpose to charm her into relaxing her hold on her virtue. The cad. The horrible weasel. He is a snake in the grass Lothario."

"Alright, alright enough. I concede the point. So I am not to worry about Julia being with Ox then?" Erik felt himself relax knowing he had one less woman to worry about. Nadir's next words had him tensing up once again.

"I did not say we did not have any worries. Indeed I did not say anything. This is after all _**Ox**_ we are discussing," Nadir reminded them needlessly. They knew well Ox's reputation with women. If possible one could say his reputation could be considered slightly worse than Erik's had been Nadir surmised.

"I do believe Darius was trying to say that the black kettle was calling the pot blacker or perhaps that is black."

"I do believe you mean the pot is calling the kettle black Nadir."

"Well is that not what I said? Must you be so precise in everything? It is damned annoying you know?" The household had been quite cheerful of late. Katherine had given Erik a sense of calm stability he had never felt before. Having Antoinette back in his life had added another piece of Erik's heart that had been missing. One he had not realized had left such a big hole until it had been filled once again.

The three men were free this evening as the women were gathered to celebrate Meg and Nadir's upcoming nuptials. Nadir and Meg would be marrying in two days time. Raoul had offered to host Nadir's last night as a bachelor but Erik had decided as Nadir's closest friend and best man he should do the honors. Tomorrow night the men would have been gathering at Erik's club to celebrate. A few well chosen inquiries and comments had changed the whole evenings plans as well as the evening it would celebrated.

Dire warnings from Antoinette had forced Erik to curtail any plans he had for anything risqué being offered. She did not want her Roberto corrupted. Even sweet little Meg had given Erik the cold shoulder during dinner last evening. Nadir had made rumbling sounds when Erik had first proposed hiring a few of the newly acquired can-can dancers for the night. The man had actually blushed. He had mentioned some nonsense about women not appreciating their men gawking at other partially clothed women dancing in front of the faces of their loved ones. Erik saw nothing wrong with just looking. Of course that was his opinion before Katherine had persuaded him otherwise.

Katherine's not very subtle questions as to what sort of entertainment went on in this club had led to a few very uncomfortable conversations. In the past Erik had partaken of the pleasures offered quite frequently. There had always been women in the club willing to entertain a man for the evening. His argument with Katherine almost earned him a night of cold bathwater to cool his ardor or resorting as he had in the past. Neither option appealed to Erik.

When Katherine had asked if Erik minded if the women invited men along as escorts for the evening Erik had quickly said _**no way in hell**_. Katherine had countered as they were going to the theatre then dinner later to celebrate with Meg it would not be seemly for a woman to dine unescorted. The men would simply be present for the appearance of propriety. Nothing untoward would be happening. Surely Erik could not object to that? Seeing the gleam of triumph in Katherine's eyes Erik knew he had been ensnared in a womanly trap of reason and cunning. Erik made the decision they would not have women at the celebration. Nadir had squawked like a woman at the prospect anyway. Meg had been buzzing in Nadir's ears about the shameful display of flesh and what lechers the men were who viewed such women. She said it was degrading to all women.

Once Erik thought about how wonderful it was to have someone jealous of some unknown female making eyes at him he had capitulated to Katherine's request that only males be allowed in the room. The fact that she hinted that eyes that looked at another woman's naked flesh would not be viewing nor touching her own had a minute part in his decision. He did not really care anyway about those women although he felt intrigued that the women were from France doing a popular dance in Paris men's clubs called the can-can.

Erik thought it was so damned amazing a woman cared enough about him not to want anyone else touching him or even looking upon him with desire. When Katherine had expressed this last worry Erik had been somewhat skeptical of her sincerity until she had kissed him with so much passion she had left him breathless. She had left him with the promise of more if he ended the evening with enough time for a visit. Erik had then and there decided the evening was going to be over by ten at the latest. If not, everyone was on their own. He would be going to Katherine's. At least that late at night he would not have to try to avoid the Leg Grabber. She would be in bed.

He must make an effort to remember her name was Quanah. Katherine frowned when he called the little tyke Leg Grabber. It did seem to fit her better than her given name as she was always grabbing men's legs especially Erik's. If he were not available she chose one from the available selection. Erik had made so many horrible faces trying to frighten the little one off but she would not be coaxed away. He even tried to shake her off his leg but the blasted child thought it was a new game and giggled in an aggravating manner. Most of the time, Erik just ignored Quanah clinging to his leg as if he were some ride at the fair. Erik scowled at anyone who so much as looked longer than a few seconds at him as he walked about with this growth on his leg. Smiles were quickly hidden to avoid any dire threats of bodily harm from an un-amused Erik. Katherine could not hide her own amusement of his situation. Her amusement he tolerated. He did not like it but he would tolerate it from her alone.

Erik would not allow himself to become attached to the child. In the back of his mind he had an image of his old persona coming out doing some sort of harm to the little innocent girl. He did not see himself as a nurturing man at all. He discounted all the toys and dresses he had sent to Katherine's within days of returning home. If he happened to have some sweet hidden in his pocket that the little Leg Grabber ferreted out before latching onto his leg could be discounted as merely coincidental.

The front door buzzer heralded the arrival of the rest of the men. Katherine had lead Erik subtly or perhaps not so subtly in deciding to have his get together for Nadir on the same night she and the other women would be enjoying their night. ghe venue had also been mved from the club to Erik's home. That way if someone were to drink more than they should if they woke with a headache it would not ruin the bride and grooms special day. Especially if it were the groom who overindulged.

The men spent the rest of the evening in good-natured teasing. They played cards and drank several bottles of brandy. Erik threatened Nadir silently with some form of bodily harm when Nadir suggested they open the bottle Katherine had given to Nadir, which Nadir knew very well resided in Erik's locked liquor cabinet in his study. Erik was loath to share anything that even remotely connected to Katherine with anyone else. She was his entirely body and soul. If that made him a selfish bastard then so be it. He would proudly wear that title if it meant Katherine was his woman alone.

Erik had never been very adept at sharing things that belonged to him. He was generous with his money to those less fortunate, albeit secretly least everyone think him soft. He gave to charities while helping those in his employ when times were hard. He still kept an eye on Thomas who seemed to be fairing well. Julia and Marianne were now in his permanent employ as well.

Erik was still very possessive of Katherine but she had gradually been convincing him that just because she spoke to a man for more than half a minute did not mean she would be running off with the gentleman to the den or closest closet. Erik was the only man who could lure her into those places to share moments of naughty kisses and caresses, which he did frequently.

With Nadir proposing and his wedding approaching, Erik felt he might gather enough courage to ask Katherine to share his life with him rather than a few clandestine hours here and there. Erik wanted Katherine to share everything from his name to his bed. He wanted the world to know he had won this precious prize. Katherine was the crowning jewel in all of his possessions. He tried not to think of her as a possession as Antoinette had stringently upbraided him for referring to Katherine as such.

Antoinette reminded him that a person could not and should not consider they own another person. You could share every aspect with them but had to let them be free to come and go as they pleased without worrying about upsetting the other person. He either trusted Katherine and her love or he did not. Erik trusted Katherine with his life. It was all those hungry eyed bastards who ogled Katherine that he did not trust.

One in particular caused Erik's blood to heat with murderous ire whenever he thought of the man. For an instant that detestable Jackson Tyler entered Erik's mind to spoil his evening once again. The audacious way Jackson taunted Erik seemed to invite a confrontation.

The man looked at Katherine as if he were a wolf circling a kill about to be brought down and devoured. The man did not even try to hide his lust for Katherine from Erik. He flaunted it at every opportunity.

Stealing from Erik would earn the man painful retribution. Making a move on Katherine would earn him an early demise. Erik had no qualms about resurrecting the Phantom to deal with such a vile foe as that man Tyler.

The mere thought of Jackson Tyler so much as being close enough to breathe the same air as Katherine had Erik's mind reverting to his days as the Phantom. One more incident of Mr. Tyler undressing Katherine with his eyes while in Erik's presence and the man's life would come to an unsavory end. If indeed Jackson were following Katherine or having her followed by someone else there would be nothing to stop Erik from slitting Jackson's throat.

Katherine always seemed uncomfortable in the man's presence but Erik did not think it was because of his lewd behavior as she seemed oblivious to that. No her dislike and unease stemmed from something else.

If events had not occurred that drew everyone's attention away from Jackson Tyler perhaps Erik or Matthew would have been able to stop future tragedies from happening.

As it was that night Matthew had gone back to the theatre after dropping Erik off. He had stayed long enough to ensure that Katherine and the others had made it to the hotel safely. He had even braved searching the inside and outside perimeter. He had seen nothing. Jackson had gone home. He had made his point. He had given Erik and Matthew some uneasy moments. That had been all he wanted at the moment.

**A/N: Well things do indeed sound as if they are headed for more tense moments. Quite a few actually. Hope to see more reviews. Thanks again to all who do take the time to leave a little bit of encouragement. **


	63. Chapter 62

**Chapter Sixty-two**

**Pact With the Devil **

A few days later Katherine and Quanah were sitting in the garden playing games of tickle and hide and seek. Things had just started to settle back into some sort of routine. Everyone had been adjusting well to the addition of a small child in the house. Katherine had been especially pleased how things were going.

Katherine's wounds were on the mend and Erik had assured her they did not detract from her alure to him one iota. He had been willing to prove how much he desired her. He willing made that sacrifice for his love. Katherine had been a little insecure although Erik had seen her wounds at their worst. Erik's passion had thoroughly convinced Katherine she had nothing to worry about. The only problem she seemed to have was Erik's continued pretense that he did not care for Quanah.

Katherine and Erik had been discussing names for Quanah. If she were to be able to mingle in this Whiteman's world she needed to have a Christian name. She had enough influence around her that she would never lose her heritage. Katherine wanted Quanah to learn to be proud of who she was even while hiding where she came from. For Quanah's safety she would have to be another race in the eyes of the real world. Nothing concrete had been decided as of yet.

Katherine had to smile when she recalled how Erik reacted to Quanah. He wanted everyone, including himself, to think he had no patience for the child or any real affection. His actions belied his words.

If he could see himself with the eyes of others he would know he did care for the child a great deal. Erik had gone overboard when purchasing a few items for the child. Katherine had asked him if he might have Julia or Marianne pick out a few dresses and toys for Quanah. Katherine had been afraid to leave the child alone in her new surroundings and could not risk taking her to town just now.

When Erik had arrived with the wagon sporting all his purchases he ignored the raised brows at the quantity of items. He had bought everything from hair ribbons to sleeping gowns. Katherine had counted at least six pairs of shoes. She had wanted to explain that half of this would have been sufficient as children grow so quickly. Noting his proud and pleased air she had refrained, especially since he had made the purchases himself.

Once Katherine had been able to join the others at the table and sit for a while throughout the day Quanah had been by Katherine's side when she had not been shadowing Erik. Katherine had not expected to feel quite so much gratification when Quanah had at last called her shimaa which means mother. Quanah had been calling Erik Shitaá Shadow Man ever since they had made their way to Coralee Andrew's home.

She still called Erik Shitaá Shadow Man. Why she preferred to call him Father Shadow Man no one could know other than Quanah. Perhaps in time when Erik openly showed how he really felt for the child she would simply call him Shitaá or father in English.

Erik still would not let Katherine tell him the meaning of the word Quanah used when addressing him. Katherine thought it might be because he feared having what he knew in his heart already spoken out loud. Erik had still not accepted that he could be anything good in a child's life. Everyone else could see how good he had been with Quanah even while pretending not to care at all.

Katherine thought that Quanah much preferred it when Erik called her Leg Grabber instead of her given name. Perhaps she saw it as something only the two of them shared some sort of secret bond between them.

Everyone had been teaching Quanah a few English words. Erik for all his protesting had taken to reading to Quanah on the nights he had stayed for dinner. Quanah would insist Erik put her to bed. He grumped and complained but he headed straight to the library to retrieve Alice in Wonderland to read a chapter to Quanah as she fell asleep.

Katherine had stood just outside the door on these occasions listening and observing quietly. Erik had been so patient with Quanah. He explained the pictures to her and pronounced the words that told what the picture showed. Quanah would repeat the words several times struggling until she had pronounced each word correctly. Her face beamed when he praised her as he ran his hand over her silky hair. For a man who professed to have no liking or need for children Erik always treated Quanah tenderly and with love even if he would deny such a thing.

Antoinette had enlightened Katherine quite a bit about how Erik's life had been. Her observations were much what Erik had told her but she did not have show any deprecation for Erik, she had seen only pity and understanding countered by hope for his future. A future he had now realized.

Antoinette had given Katherine hope that Erik would change his mind about having children. Well she supposed it would be proper to have a proposal and marriage before children in any case.

Seeing Mrs. Graham approaching them across the freshly mowed lawn, Katherine straightened leaving a laughing Quanah wriggling on the ground after being tickled mercilessly by Katherine.

Quanah spying Gamm nimbly got to her feet then ran to her laughing. Katherine brought her thoughts back to the present.

Once Mrs. Graham came close enough for Katherine to see her clearly she noticed Mrs. Graham's pinched lips and the angry posture of her body. Her hands were held tightly clasped in front of her.

"What's wrong? What has you so out of sorts?" Katherine asked lightly.

Mrs. Gamm sniffed indignantly, "That scoundrel has the nerve to show his face here again after the way he has treated you? I say shuck him out again. I would be more than happy to send to the stables for Matthew. I am quite sure Matthew would have not problem tossing him out on is as…uh backside."

Daniel infuriated Gamm so much only Katherine's warning nod toward Quanah chopped off the curse word before it let her mouth.

"Who are you speaking about in such harsh words?" Katherine had an idea but hoped she would not be proved correct in her assumption.

"That no good, lay-a-bout father of yours, that's who. Imagine coming here wanting to speak to you after what he did. I say stick to your guns and shuck him out with the rubbish. I would not count it as a loss if he never came again."

Katherine sighed. She supposed she should at least see what he wanted. She would imagine it had to do with his finances or lack thereof. He must be down to his last nickel by this time.

Katherine could hardly force any pity for him. He had well and truly burned his bridges.

"Gamm please take Quanah to the kitchen for some milk and cookies. I would not want my father to say anything hurtful in front of Quanah even if she would not understand all he said."

Gamm had only taken a few steps when Daniel came striding confidently down the lawn. Upon catching sight of Quanah he exclaimed, "Good God Katherine, is this your spawn from one of those savages? Have you no shame? Why bring the little heathen here? Surely she could be placed in one of those orphanages they have on the reservations?"

Quanah did not understand all of what this man said but she understood enough. Along with his hate filled tone that had been enough for her. Sticking her tongue out Quanah kicked Daniel in the shin quite hard. Gamm could not keep the pleased chuckle from escaping her mouth.

"You uncouth little bastard. I will show you the manners your whore of a mother neglected to teach you." Daniel drew back his arm to strike Quanah across her cheek. Gamm gasped in horror.

Katherine grabbed his wrist long before his hand came anywhere near Quanah. Angrily she tossed his arm into his chest shoving him so that he stumbled back falling onto his backside.

Getting to his feet Daniel angrily brushed himself off. He had been willing to let bygones be bygones. It would seem Katherine much preferred savages and murderers to respectable society. Well she had truly gone too far this time. He would not come begging at her door again. Whatever happened now it would not be his fault. He had been willing to give her a chance to apologize. Now he said "good riddance to bad rubbish".

Brushing off the seat of his pants Daniel said, "It would seem Katherine that you have finally gone completely savage. You need not worry that I will seek you out again. Whatever happens now just remember I did try to reconcile our differences. You have forced me into taking actions I would prefer not to have to take. Now you must live with the consequences."

Daniel stormed off leaving Katherine with an odd sense of impending doom. Her father's words had sounded threatening but surely he could not do anything to harm them? It did occur to Katherine that word of the escapes would have reached Richmond by now. Her father was not a stupid man just an unobservant one. It would not take him long to put two and two together to get the correct answer.

Katherine decided to keep her father's visit to herself. Once Erik learned that her father had come back threatening Katherine with vague consequences or outright predictions of future trouble it would not matter. Erik would do something to her father. She could not risk him getting into any legal trouble.

It would have been better for everyone if Katherine had told Erik about her father but hindsight is twenty-twenty.

Later while waiting in a private room Jackson Tyler had been gracious enough to procure for Daniel, he sat drinking, mulling over his encounter with Katherine.

Eventually he did surmise that the little girl with Katherine had been one of those escaped renegades the soldiers had been looking for. It would serve the bitch right if he turned her in. Harboring an escaped renegade was a hanging offense. Yes indeed it would serve her right.

She would not be so brave swinging from the end of a rope nor so disrespectful. Daniel had just refilled his glass for the third time when Jackson entered the room.

"Hitting the bottle a bit early aren't you Daniel? I hope this is not something that should concern me."

Jackson would have no use for the man if he did not need Daniel to aid him in his plan. Once Katherine was his he'd see about eliminating her father permanently. He could become a leach sucking the life out of Jackson with all the information he had garnered during the last few months of their association. Loose ends were better snipped and cauterized.

"If you had gone through what I had to go through you might have a drink or two yourself. Can you believe what she has gone and done now? I can scarcely take it in. The bitch must have spread her legs for any number of those savages."

Jackson had an idea who he referred to in such derogatory words but he had to ask anyway, "And who might this woman be?"

He could not bring himself to say that awful word. Not when he knew Katherine had been the one her father had been speaking of with such derision.

"Why that whore of a daughter of mine of course. She brought her spawn home with her. I'll wager that little savage is one of those heathens that escaped a while back. You must have heard of the escape? Everyone has been talking about it for days. Well no matter. I'll have the last laugh and get my inheritance back. All I need do is inform the authorities that Katherine is harboring one of the fugitives and she'll be hung for sure."

Jackson barely restrained himself from killing the bastard in that moment.

"And if you inform on Katherine, where does that leave me? I must say it does not appeal to me to marry a corpse."

"Oh well, perhaps you could rescue her just before the trap door falls. I do think women are impressed by heroics. Yes, I must say that would work for everyone."

Daniel toasted with his empty glass. He had not been thinking clearly. If he had he would realized the error in his judgment. Jackson had drawn his knife, Daniel turned with his back to Jackson with his knife pressed to Daniel's throat before Daniel could utter one word or even had time to muster any fear.

When he felt the steel of the blade against his throat the fear came rushing in. "If you so much as breath one word that causes Katherine any more discomfort I will gut you and feed your innards to the alley cats. Never speak in my presence about Katherine in any other way than with the highest regards. Don't ever let me have the need to remind you again. The next time will be the last. Do I make myself clear?" Jackson nicked Daniel's throat in warning as well as a reminder.

"Yes, yes. I understand. Please Jackson, let me go." Jackson shoved the man away from him in disgust. The man had no loyalty in his makeup at all. It would be Jackson's pleasure to end that man's miserable life.

"Let us get down to business. Have you convinced Lydia to go along with the plan?"

"Convince Lydia? It was her idea in the first place. I had only been considering this plan until today. Katherine has shown me that she does not deserve to be called my daughter.

Jackson could have disputed that Daniel had turned his facts around to suit himself but it did not matter if Daniel wanted to delude himself. It would soon be over and Katherine would be his.

The wheels had begun to turn that would take everyone into a painful and deadly confrontation. Lives would be lost and some would stand on shaky ground. All would need every bit of courage they possessed to make it through.

**A/N: I had hoped to get a few more reviews for the last chapter but I suppose with school starting it has everyone's schedule disrupted. I hope things have settled down a bit and that I get a few more reviews for this chapter than the last one.**


	64. Chapter 63

**A/N: I didn't get the reviews I wanted yet but I am feeling good tonight so here is another chapter. I am in the process of writing the last chapter. I will have it all finished within a couple of days. **

**A/N: I couldn't find an Apache word for daughter so I used a Lokota word. **

**Chapter****Sixty-three**

**Shitaá, Father?**

About a week after their return Erik made his usual visit to Katherine. He had been a little late as Christine had been in an uncooperative mood. She had caused many delays throughout rehearsal.

When Jenkins opened the door he showed Erik into the parlor where Gamm sat sewing some article Erik had to assume belonged to Quanah as it would have been much too small for anyone else.

Gamm pretended not to know what brought him to Katherine's home. "Dear boy how nice to see you. Come sit so we may chat." She was greatly tempted to tell him about Daniel's visit but Katherine had made her take a solemn oath not to mention it to any of the men or the women for that matter. Gamm had hoped Katherine would leave that avenue open but Katherine knew her old nanny too well.

Erik glanced over his shoulder as if he expected Katherine to be there to help him out of this situation.

"Well I…I suppose for a moment…only a few minutes really as I…I…"

Gamm took pity on him as she laughingly said, "Erik my boy you are a treat to tease. Do you think I don't know you've come to see Katherine? After all these weeks I would have to be slow witted not to know the way the wind blows. Go on now. Katherine is waiting, as anxious to see you as you are to see her no doubt.

Erik did not give her an opportunity to change her mind as he hastily thanked her and excused himself before almost running from the room with Gamm's laughter following him to the top of the stairs.

Erik might have asked Mrs. Graham to remove Leg Grabber had he known she had taken up residence in Katherine's room. He heard the giggling before he actually saw her. If his heart gave an uncomfortable little flip to hear that sweet childish glee he passed it off as having rushed up the stairs.

No sooner had the door closed behind him than he felt two little arms wrap around his leg then a little bottom took up residence on his boot top. He felt her hand sneaking into his pocket. Erik had taken to keeping pieces of candy treats in his pocket. Not for Leg Grabber, certainly not. He made so many long trips out to Katherine's who knew when a hunger pang might strike?

Looking down he had to force himself not to smile at the sight of her jaw sticking out twice the normal size from the bit of peppermint she had stuck in her mouth. She must have broken the stick in half to pop the whole thing in that way.

Instead of a smile Erik scowled giving his leg a little shake. He would be damned if Leg Grabber simply squealed happily.

"Again, Shitaá Shadow Man. Again." Erik could not repress the pride he felt in the progress Quanah had made in her English. If he were a boastful man, which he was not, he would take credit for her progress because of all the reading he had done and the words he had taught her. It had been done strictly as a way for the girl to communicate with the others. He had no need whatsoever to know what the hell Shitaá meant. He refused to ask Katherine or any of the others. Katherine had offered numerous times to enlighten him. He assured her if he died tomorrow, not knowing what that word meant would not be one of his regrets.

"Katherine does this child not have anything better to do than pester everyone?" He cast a baleful eye downward. The damn little glutton had her hand in his pocket searching for more candy. Was it not fortunate Erik had placed two peppermint candies in his pocket? Well considering he had taken up that very habit lately it could not be said to be a surprise at all to the little tyke. She would be rather surprised if his pocket did not contain some sweet.

"Perhaps if you would not sneak treats for her she would find another to call shitaá." Katherine teased Erik as she always did.

"All right, I give up, I know you have been dying to tell me what that means. If the little Leg Grabber is being impolite about anything concerning how I look I shall not take it kindly." Erik picked her up holding her out in front of him scowling fiercely at her. She merely smiled as a disgusting mess drooled out of her mouth to slide down her chin.

Erik settled her on his hip then dug out his handkerchief to wipe Quanah's mouth. He did not repulse her hug or return it. Nor did he acknowledge her sticky kiss to his cheek.

Shaking her head in exasperation, Katherine said, "Must you always predict doom and gloom? Why is it that you cannot see what the rest of us see in you? Erik she is calling you her father. Shitaá means father in her language. It is an honor she has bestowed on you. Her father died before she even had her first look at this world. She has for whatever reason chosen you out of the men she knows to take that most sacred place."

Erik could not speak. He felt the tightening of his chest and his throat constricting allowing no words to pass his lips assuming he could find anything appropriate to say.

God how he longed to hear that word spoken in a language he could understand. Erik pulled her to his chest wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Just as if she read his mind Quanah whispered in his ear, "Father. Me father. Mine." She tightened her hold around his neck. She could strangle him for all Erik cared.

Erik chuckled brokenly at her wonderfully sweet incorrect grammar. It was laugh or cry. At this moment he would rather laugh. If he began to cry he might not stop. What kind of manly father image would that be for any daughter of his?

"Katherine, tell me please, how to say my daughter in her language."

Katherine covered her mouth with her hands to hold back the happy tears. Despite her best effort they slide down her cheeks. She did not want to ruin this moment with any tears. Hastily she swiped her hands over her cheeks.

"You say cunks, Quanah. My daughter Quanah or chikala ishta for little girl."

Erik leaned Quanah away from him. Cunks Quanah, chikala ishta." For all his command of several languages Erik felt those were the hardest yet most wondrous words he could ever learn.

Quanah giggled leaning her head forward she touched her forehead to his chin. She spoke in her own language as she patted his mask. Leaning back she smiled confidently into his eyes. For once she did not receive a scowl. It did not matter to her. Erik had always been shitaá.

Erik turned toward Katherine to ask, "What did she say? I must learn to speak her language or teach her more English and French."

The look on Katherine's face gave Erik a moment of concern. Dear God what could a three year old have said that caused such concern?

"Well Erik I am uncertain I should tell you. If I do promise you will not be mad? You will not be angry with Quanah?"

Now Erik took a turn being concerned for what he might learn. Looking into Quanah's innocent smiling face he could think of nothing that would cause this much concern in Katherine.

"I promise I will not be mad. Just tell me before I begin to invent horrible possibilities."

"Well it would seem little Quanah is a night walker. She wakes during the night and wanders around. Not a sleep walker. She is completely awake. On one of her little sojourns she came upon you sleeping in a chair in my room. Being naturally curious she wanted to see all of you. She removed your mask. Now before you instantly think the worst, let me tell you she said she prefers the skin under the hard scratchy shell. She said she kisses your wounds when she finds you asleep so that they might get well. She does not understand about the permanence of scars. She should but she does not. She said she will kiss them until they are all gone."

Katherine waited for some sort of reaction. When it came it could not have been further from what she had expected.

"Explain that I was born with my scars and they will not be going away. Ask her if she will continue to kiss them just in case."

When Katherine explained to Quanah what Erik had said she merely shrugged. She said that some mean boy who wanted his face in the spirit world had tried to take it but shitaá would not let him. The mean spirit only got half the face.

She assured him that she would indeed kiss him on his chin. She kissed his chin. On his nose. She kissed his nose. On his good face. She kissed his right cheek. On his bad face. Erik jerked his head back when she reached for his mask.

"Shitaá no, no. Me kiss. Me kiss."

Erik looked at Katherine for guidance. That woman deserted him. She simply shrugged her shoulders. Erik slowly leaned forward to allow Quanah to remove his mask. She dropped it on the floor. Placing her little hands on his cheeks she kissed the bad side then the good.

She leaned forward hugging him tightly as she said, "Shitaá mine."

Erik quickly put Quanah down. Turning away from them he tried to blow his nose and wipe his eyes without them knowing. Turning back around he asked who would like to ride on a boot. Quanah squealed in delight. She planted her little bottom on his boot. Erik forgot about his mask as he clomped noisily around the room with a giggling little Quanah happily bouncing on his boot.

**A/N: A little good before the bad. As always please review. I love reading them.**


	65. Chapter 64

**A/N: Well I only got 5 reviews but I was bored so I thought I'd post this next bit tonight. I only have to finish up a bit of the end and the story will be complete. I have oodles of finished chapters to post yet so it will be a while yet before it is over unless I continue to post a chapter or two every day. Read and enjoy and most definitely review.**

**Chapter Sixty-four**

**Lydia Chapel Montgomery Returns**

Daniel stood on the platform nervously perusing the disembarking passengers. Lydia should be on this train. She had sent him a telegram stating she would arrive in Richmond on July the first at precisely 12:00 in the afternoon if the train kept to schedule.

For months Lydia and Daniel had been corresponding in letters and telegrams. If it was anything of a sensitive nature the message was written in a letter. Everything else could be sent in a telegram.

This new scheme that Lydia had conjured had at first been unacceptable to Daniel. It had not taken long for him to change his mind. All over town his credit was being rejected. It was a disgrace, he, Daniel Montgomery, of the long line of Richmond's cream of the social circle was being driven to the life of a pauper. All this embarrassment and humiliation he suffered had been because his own daughter had turned against him.

The day Katherine had defended that heathen spawn had been what had once and for all convinced Daniel his daughter had truly become a savage. She no longer had any concern for what was right or proper. If she wanted to choose those savages then let her have them and whatever happened could be laid on her doorstep not Daniel's. Katherine had forced him to do what he had to in order to retain his status, his proper place in society.

In one of Daniel's letters he had made a reference to the man Jackson Tyler. He had told Lydia the man was a thief and a scoundrel. The man hated Erik Fontaine passionately, not the least of which was due to Erik having won the hand of Katherine.

Daniel thought it was in very poor taste that he had to beg for every penny from his wife Lydia while Katherine lived the life of luxury that should belong to Daniel.

It had given Daniel a few uneasy moments when he had learned that Jackson Tyler had been following Katherine whenever she was in town. Either by Jackson personally or by men he had hired. Daniel had heard some of the dock workers discussing the man's obsession with Katherine.

Daniel salved his worries by assuring himself that no harm would come to Katherine. Once things were under his control again Katherine would see it was all for the best. If Jackson wanted Katherine, would he not make her a better husband than Erik? After all, Erik had once been the Opera Ghost also known as the Phantom of the Opera. Erik Fontaine was no better than a common criminal. No, Erik would not do as a son-in-law at all. Jackson was only slightly better. He had more than likely done worse things than Erik. The difference was Jackson's misdeeds were not common knowledge among the socially acceptable. He had always been careful to keep his less than honest dealings hidden from everyone.

This new plan Lydia proposed included Christine de Chagny. Daniel had upon Lydia's advice made overtures toward the woman in the guise of sympathetic listener. Soon he hoped to be co-conspirator.

Plans had already been set in motion to have Christine lure Katherine to her room on the pretence of once and for all mending fences. If things went according to plan Jackson would simply whisk Katherine away. A bought and paid for judge would marry the couple with or without Katherine's consent. Christine had yet to acquiesce to Daniel's suggestions.

Once away from all those outside influences Jackson then would use whatever measures were needed to persuade Katherine to sign over her holdings in their entirety to Daniel. For this favor Jackson would receive ten million dollars. A large sum to be sure but worth every penny to have control of seven times that much. Daniel considered it to be of secondary importance that Jackson would have Katherine in the end as well as the money.

Once Lydia joined forces once more with Daniel they would approach Christine with their proposal. If they used Christine's interest in Erik to their advantage they could perhaps persuade the woman to accommodate them with the promise of a clear field to Erik. Once Katherine had been removed there would be nothing to stand in Christine's way.

At last Daniel saw Lydia disembark. He had missed his wife. He had missed her in his bed. He planned to make up for lost time tonight.

Lydia stood waiting for Daniel to come to her as was proper. She sniffed derisively at all those women around her rushing to greet their loved ones. It was not seemly at all. Grace and dignity were becoming things of the past.

Daniel finally reached her. She presented her cheek for his kiss. If she were less than a lady she would have given him a much warmer greeting. She had missed the intimacies of their bedroom. Behind closed doors Lydia lost much of her inhibitions.

Once in the apartment Jackson had rented for Daniel they went about settling Lydia in. Dinner had been eaten and the remains cleared away.

Once the door closed behind them passion took precedence over anything else for a moment. When their immediate urges had been satisfied they lay in the darkness discussing how best to approach Christine.

Considering the woman's unstableness at the moment it would be prudent for Lydia to approach her first as a sympathetic shoulder to lean on. Gradually they would introduce their plan.

Christine would have to be made to understand that once she committed to the plan there would be no going back. Jackson Tyler would not take kindly to anything spoiling his plans for Katherine.

In the following days Daniel and Lydia made every effort to appear to accidentally encounter Christine. Invitations to tea or shopping were extended in the guise of furthering the friendship.

When Daniel and Lydia were certain Christine would agree to their proposal they approached her with their plan. Christine had been shocked to say the least.

She did not like Katherine but did not wish her any real harm. Could she live with herself knowing that she had allowed the woman to be kidnapped then forced into a marriage she did not want?

Christine had a few ideas of her own she wished to try before she threw herself into any shady dealings. She did give her promise to consider things.

Daniel cautioned Christine not to breathe one word to anyone about anything they had discussed. Jackson would not take kindly to being thwarted. Daniel warned her he could be dangerous.

On her way back to her hotel room Christine considered all that Daniel and Lydia had proposed. As much as she did not want to be mixed up with anything criminal if her next attempts at winning Erik did not come to fruition she would lower herself in order to have him. She must have him.

Christine began her campaign. During rehearsals she made sure others saw her in intimate conversations with Erik. Or at least what could be perceived as intimate by anyone looking on.

She pleaded with Erik to stay long after everyone else had gone home so that he could help her make her voice ready for the task ahead. Erik wanted nothing to mar opening night so he often sent a note to Katherine explaining that he must help Christine regain the full range of her voice.

Christine would bide her time until she could be certain Erik would come to her rooms at the hotel then her last effort would unfurl.

In the meantime she would slowly insinuate doubt into Katherine's mind. Christine was to be Meg's matron of honor. As Nadir had chosen Erik to be his best man that meant Christine and Erik would be thrown together as a couple at least in situations concerning the wedding.

Christine would be using this opportunity to her advantage. What better time to bring past loves to ones mind than at a wedding? Christine would have a legitimate reason to seek out Erik. At last her plan could move forward.

Christine had already made contingency plans if this next step did not produce some results.

Daniel and Lydia were pressuring her into committing herself to their plan whatever that was. They would not give her specific details. They would only tell her it involved Jackson Tyler his kidnapping katherine. Beyond that Christine knew nothing. Daniel had told her Jackson revel his plans once she had agreed to being his cohort.

That man gave Christine chills and she had not even met him yet. She had heard about him and had him pointed out to her from a distance. She could not make out his features so she could not say for sure what he looked like if someone were to ask.

Lydia and Daniel had both warned her that Mr. Tyler was not a man to displease. By their own words the man sounded sinister.

Before Christine put herself in that kind of situation she would make a concerted effort on her own to win Erik.

To make matters worse Raoul had asked for a divorce. He wished to propose to Fawn. Christine had to sit and listen while he extolled the virtues of that pagan tramp to her, his wife.

That had been the final push Christine needed to forge ahead with her plans. She had panicked thinking that after Raoul and she had divorced that Erik would be her only chance for happiness. She summarily dismissed Hayden. She had not yet cut all her ties with him. Perhaps even then she knew she might fail and kept him dangling just in case.

Poor Hayden did not know he was only a makeshift man. A standby in case all Christine's plotting and planning failed. Christine promised herself once again she would not be that woman with all those cats.


	66. Chapter 65

**A/N: A reveiwer left a request for the next chapter before the hurricane hit and knocked out the electric. I don't know where you are but I do like to please my readers especially those who take the time to review. Hope you get to enjoy this and please be safe. This one's for you dragonladyw. **

**A/N: I researched weddings and traditions for this chapter. It was interesting to learn what the rituals really mean and why they were started. For instance, the removing of the garter. Long ago guests at the wedding crowded around the couples wedding bed at times trying to snatch a piece of the bride's clothing as it meant good luck. Well after considering it was not the thing to do to leave poor brides naked someone came up with the removal of one article of clothing. The garter. The cake is interesting also. Brides used to stand and cut the cake giving each guest their piece. The cake meant good fortune. Needless to say the bride spent her reception handing out slices of cake. There were so many things that today are traditions but started out ridiculous superstitions.**

**Chapter Sixty-five**

**A Wedding and a Proposal**

Meg stood nervously awaiting Roberto to come for her. She must remember he preferred her to call him Papa.

Plans had moved forward quickly once Nadir had received Antoinette and Roberto's permission to seek Meg's hand. Not that Nadir had to worry about Meg's answer. She had made her feelings known to him just as he had made her aware of his own.

Meg had asked Christine to be her maid of honor. Erik of course would be Erik's best man. Nadir had not liked the idea but whatever made Meg happy ensured his happiness as well. He had brought up the matter of Erik being in such close proximity to Christine while Katherine would be present. Meg had assured Nadir neither Katherine nor Christine would do anything to mar her wedding day. Nadir had not been quite so certain but he had acquiesced.

Erik had been quite generous in his gift to them. He had purchased a small estate outside of town that had only recently come on the market for sale. The estate consisted of only three hundred acres but it had been rumored the surrounding land would be in foreclosure soon. The home itself had been empty for a year so a few minor repairs were needed. The kitchen and bathrooms needed to be modernized. Erik had made the arrangements for everything to be done before they moved in. Erik would not hear of giving them a gift that was in disrepair.

He had wanted to furnish the home but Nadir had persuaded him that women were like birds. They may see a nest they liked but they would shuck everything out to begin to build their own nest sometimes using the discarded materials. Women liked to build their own nests.

Roberto knocked gently on the door enquiring if Meg needed more time or if she were ready? Nadir had already taken his place in front of the clergy. Since Meg and Nadir were of different faiths they had chosen to be wed by a minister of a local church. One who did not scowl and preach about neither Meg's eternal damnation nor Nadir's barbaric beliefs.

Antoinette took one last look at her daughter. Meg had chosen a light beige dress as white would not be appropriate. Besides colorful gowns was now the fashion. Nadir had given his opinion as "who gave a damn what they thought?" Antoinette hardily agreed but Meg had been pleased with what the dressmaker had chosen. The tiny seed pearls sewn along the neckline and cuffs brought life to an otherwise dull color. Antoinette could only imagine the fortune Erik had given to Meg to have sewn on her dress.

The empire waist disguised Meg's condition slightly. The thin underskirt had an outer skirt that met in the middle just under her breasts. The split down the front gave peeks of the underskirt as Meg walked. The slightly puffed sleeves were sheer to her wrists. The cuffs had more of the seed pearls sewn on them. Antoinette drew the veil over Meg's face. Her little girl would officially become a woman today.

Meg at last thought she might be ready. Taking Roberto's arm Meg allowed him to lead her to the doors of the small chapel. Two young boys opened them just as Meg reached the doors. Music began just as Roberto guided Meg through the doors.

Nadir caught his breath. His mind knew he must breathe but he could not seem to make his lungs obey his body's command. Meg quite literally took his breath away.

When Meg at last reached him he offered her his hand. Roberto reluctantly placed Meg's hand into Nadir's. After that things seemed to pass in a whirlwind. One moment they were Meg and Nadir the next they were man and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Nadir Khan.

Erik could not miss the daggers Katherine aimed in Christine's direction when she had grabbed him just after the ceremony. She had kissed him with more enthusiasm than required.

Erik had baulked when Nadir had told him they would be taking pictures. He had never allowed anyone to commit his image to anything. Neither on paper nor in a photo. Nadir with the aid of Katherine had been able to convince him that if he insisted they would only photograph him from his left side. Reluctantly he had given in. A decision he regretted when he had to sit still for so long with Christine's body pressed against his own. The looks Katherine had shot his way let him know he would have a lot of tender loving care to show Katherine before he would be off the hook no matter if none of this was his fault.

Matters were made worse when the first waltz required Erik and Christine dance together. Christine wrapped her arms around his neck leaving very little space between them. Erik had been too much of a gentleman to suggest that only loose women or lovers danced so closely.

Katherine waltzed by giving a glare to Christine as well as Erik. Erik returned the glare in equal measures as he saw Katherine's companion.

Hayden's cousin from California had arrived unexpectedly. Brett Bartlett had to be every woman's dream when she envisioned the ultimate cowboy. Tall, dark, handsome, and dangerous. That six shooter strapped low on hip and thigh only added to the picture of danger.

Every time Erik found himself free to dance with Katherine that damned open range Lothario had her in his arms. The way Katherine smiled into the man's eyes had Erik grinding his teeth. To distract himself from the urge to commit murder at Nadir's wedding he danced with the other women as expected by society.

Once Erik's duties as dance partner to Antoinette and the others had been fulfilled he sought out Katherine. Erik had tried to find Katherine in this small crowd several dances later. She had proved to be illusive. Narrowing his eyes he saw her gliding around the dance floor once more with that damn cowboy.

Christine watched the little melodrama with glee as she lifted her glass of Champaign to her mouth. She could stand by and do nothing and would still win. Erik and Katherine were both jealous fools.

During one of the lulls when the musicians took a break Erik spied Katherine with that Brett Bartlett fellow. What the hell sort of name was Brett anyway? It sounded just a little prissy to Erik.

Matthew, Darius, Raoul and Hayden joined Erik. Gales of laughter from the women who had gathered around the man drew scowls from the men. The women fluttered their fans while they giggled behind them.

Dove blushed profusely as Brett whispered something into her ear. When Darius saw that man lay his hand in the small of Dove's back, a place he considered a place to rest his hand alone, Darius growled low in his throat much as Erik would have done. Darius figured he could tear the man apart without using any weapon. He was about one whisper away from being body parts instead of a body.

When Brett leaned in a little closer to Katherine than Erik thought necessary it took all his will power not to drop the man where he stood.

One laugh from Katherine and Brett laying his hand on her shoulder had Erik ready to intervene. He had only stepped forward with one foot when Hayden grabbed one arm and Matthew grabbed the other. Raoul stood smiling with his hands in his pockets. Fawn stood on the fringe of the group of ladies paying court to Brett. He could enjoy Erik's display as his lady had yet to garner any concentrated attention from the gentleman.

"Erik do you notice how low on his hip he is wearing his gun? Just within reach of his fingertips. Take a close look at that gun. It is specially made and balanced to leave the holster quickly. See those notches? They are not for decoration. They are to mark how many he has killed. He has more marks than I have scalps."

"I do not care if he is fucking Wyatt Earp. If he touches Katherine once more in any other place than her hand, and then only briefly, I will deal with him as I see fit."

Hayden looked toward his cousin. The man really was a menace. He did it intentionally. Once Hayden had asked Brett why he antagonized every man at every function he attended.

Brett had told him it was to remind them of the women they married. All those good women left home tending to hearth and home and the men going out most times not alone.

If he made them just a little jealous so that they remembered exactly why they had married them he could die happy.

"Erik, Brett doesn't mean anything. He only does it to make men realize what they have waiting at home. He's been alone for quite some time. A few years ago he was a Pinkerton. One too many shootouts had him ready to quit. He lost his zest for hunting men."

"He did earn a reputation as a fast draw and dead accurate shot. He tried to hang up his guns once. Nearly got himself killed. Men, out to make a name for themselves challenge him when they learn who he is. If he isn't willing to strap on his own gun they toss him one of theirs."

"Brett is really a very likeable fellow. Uncle John has tried to encourage him to try his hand at politics. So far he has not wanted that life. Right now he works in California as a bodyguard for one of the owners of the largest mining companies in California. Sometimes it isn't safe to walk the streets when others want what you have and don't care how they get it."

Not wanting to cause any problems on Nadir and Meg's special day the men began to talk about politics, investments, and the growth of Richmond. They kept a watchful eye on Mr. Brett Bartlett.

Meg sliced the first piece of cake. Antoinette took over after that so that she and Nadir could enjoy that first piece of cake together.

Meg had thrown the bouquet. Shy little Dove caught it. Emily had been standing nest to Dove when she saw the bouquet headed her way. Christine had stood just to the side of Emily. When Emily saw Christine move toward the spot next to Dove she had little time to think only time to react. She leaned to the side hitting Christine with her should causing Christine to stumble sideways. By the time both of them had righted themselves Dove had the bouquet in her hand with her flushed face buried in the fragrant blooms. Christine scowled at the insincerity of Emily's apologies. She knew very well the woman had tripped her deliberately.

Nadir did not want to remove Megs garter but they insisted it was a time honored tradition. When he tossed it over his shoulder one hand reached upward further than all the rest. Darius plucked that garter out of the air in triumph.

Since Dove had caught the bouquet there had been no way in hell he would let anyone else catch the garter. He ignored Nadirs scowling face. Traditions had to be honored did they not? If Nadir took exception to another man holding an intimate piece of apparel from Meg he should have thrown a shoe instead.

Roberto and Antoinette had been absorbed in their own little world. When they had ventured out they observed the others shaking their heads. So much jealousy had been in the room. All these little melodramas taking place, it had been more entertaining than any play. Antoinette kept her eye on her family. If anyone got too far out of hand she would intervene. They were adults now after all but sometimes even adults needed a reminder how to behave correctly.

If the couples had continued to act in this childish manner Antoinette would have intervened but she watched as Katherine made her way to Erik who pretended not to have eyes only for her. Stupid man, does he really think he is fooling anyone?

Katherine slowly approached Erik. She felt a little shamed when she thought of how she had behaved. Erik had not really done anything wrong. It had not been his fault Christine had clung to him like a leach or showed such improper advances toward him. It was not as if Erik had sought out Christine.

Katherine stood by Erik's broad shoulder. She reached out her hand to try to find his. When she found it her fingers meshed with his. She squeezed his hand gently. Feeling a returning gentle pressure she sighed in relief.

"Erik would you consider coming back with me when I go home?" There. She had issued the invitation. It was not the proper thing to do but nothing she had done lately could be considered proper. As long as no one other than the people involved knew of any improprieties who would complain or point any fingers?

Erik cleared his throat and swallowed with difficulty. "Is that what you wish? I thought you might have other plans."

"Erik must you make this difficult? You know I only want you. I am sorry if I let my jealousy of Christine drive me to do anything foolish. It is you I want, always." Katherine used the index finger of her other hand to run over Erik's hand in delicate, sensual little trails. She felt the tremble in his hand and smiled.

"Damn it woman. Stop that right now or I'll not be responsible for the embarrassment I cause us both and I daresay everyone else."

"I think I will be saying good-night to everyone. It is such a balmy night I think I will leave the doors to the balcony open this evening."

"Might that not seem like an open invitation to an uninvited guest?"

"Oh I doubt anyone uninvited would get very far. But should someone come along I might wish to see the doors will be open."

With a swish of her skirts Katherine turned to make a circuit of the room bidding everyone a good-night. Erik watched her bustle swish back and forth enticing him to follow in her footsteps. He had to plant his feet firmly on the floor in order to keep them from trailing behind her. He had to at least wait until she had left the building before sniffing after her. He thanked every holy being he had not fallen into Christine's trap when he had noticed Katherine's attention to that Bartlett fellow. That would have been a colossal mistake. Erik patted himself on the back for his fortitude. In the old days if Christine had made only half the offers she had made tonight he would have taken her on the floor and damned the consequences. Thank God he cared enough for Katherine to resist that temptation. As he considered it, he wondered if Christine had really been all that tempting.

His blood heated when his thoughts returned to Katherine waiting in her bed for him wearing some delectable silky gown or nothing at all other than Katherine's own soft silky skin. He could not decide if he preferred unwrapping her hidden treasures or having them openly offered to him.

Hell why did he even need to choose? He could have both whenever he wanted. Nervously Erik looked about him. He could not be said to be an overly superstitious man but it did occur to him that he had just invited fate to step in and mess with his happiness. It had been his observation over his life that when people openly boasted about their complacent lives something happened to spoil the tranquility. Had he invited disaster into his life? God he hoped not.


	67. Chapter 66

**Chapter Sixty-six**

**Honeymoon Fever**

Nadir stood waiting for Meg. Should he sit nonchalantly on the bed? He sat down. Would that not intimate his only interest to be in bedding her? He stood. Would standing there give the impression that he was ready to pounce? He sat once more. Would it not be more respectful to be on his feet standing as a gentleman should? He stood once more. Meg entering the room interrupted his Jack-in-the-box performance.

Meg had been too shy to even undress in the master bedroom. She had gone down the hall to the guest bathroom. Nadir had waited for her while he lay on the bed. When she had come through the door with a diaphanous white nightgown and an equally diaphanous peignoir Nadir had forgotten once more how to breathe. Meg he had come to know would always take his breath away. She was so beautiful on the inside and outside as well.

Meg had boldly stepped forward and taken his hand as he stood by the bed struck dumb not having any idea how to proceed. Well he did he just did not think anything he had done before had prepared him for Meg.

He did not want to rush her. He did not want any memories of that other time to raise its ugly head frightening her.

He swallowed quite loudly it seemed to him when Meg pulled her peignoir off her shoulders. She tossed it to the chair beside the bed. She reached out taking his hand.

Megs hand held his as she crawled onto the bed. She had pulled him down beside her. Once he felt her warm soft body beside him Nadir could not resist touching her.

He caressed her softly giving her time to acclimate to his touch. Her quickened breathing told him Meg was not immune to his touch. Well he knew that already but it seemed a good indication for her to want his touch while lying so close with that flimsy barrier between them.

His body continued to scream at him to take her. Join his body to hers at last. His mind warred with those carnal encouragements. He must make Meg feel completely at ease.

He had been kissing Meg when he felt her pushing at his shoulders with her hands. Dear Allah had he frightened her after all?

Meg gently pushed until he lay on his back. Sitting up she ran her hands over his chest. Slowly they worked their way down just to the edge of his pajama bottoms. Her finger worked its way under the waistband. If it had be hard to breathe or swallow before now Nadir feared himself to be in peril for certain. He could not draw a breath nor swallow since his mouth had become a desert.

When he felt his one piece of clothing begin to travel downward he could only assume his death would be next. When his garment continued downward so that his manhood sprang free, standing hard and proud before her eyes Nadir's heart suddenly took on the beat of a loud drum.

Once Meg had removed his one piece of covering she began the process of learning his body. Nadir thought he might die before she had made her journey over his aroused quivering flesh. His skin quivered and his body quaked with the restraint he had to hold back letting his desire take over.

Bending down Meg whispered in his ear, "I will not break. It is considerate of you to be restrained but I think I need a bit more just at the moment." In the dark Meg felt emboldened just a bit.

With that the wanton hussy straddled his hips. Nadir immediately protested, "Meg should you…should we…will it not hurt the child in some way?"

"I am not an expert Nadir but I do think I will know when something is not…," she paused to touch his straining manhood nestled dangerously close to where he longed to be. At her first touch he almost exploded into her hand. He prayed Allah would grant him the power to hold off his release until he at least entered her properly.

When she continued her voice had dropped to a seductive caress that traveled throughout his body. "I would not do anything that would harm me or my child. I feel we can indulge our desires for a few more weeks. Then we shall see."

Nadir could barely decipher what her words were. She might as well have spoken gibberish it would have been all the same to him. His concentration had been on that small hand encircling his manhood. When she released him he thought he might die of frustration. She wiggled a little then pulled her gown over her head. If Nadir had not already experienced the phenomenon of losing his breath he would swear to be in the process of some sort of attack.

In the light of the only candle in the room Nadir drank in the sight of Meg's beautiful form. He had not only lost his ability to breathe but the movement in his arms and hands as well.

The seductress straddling him took his hands guiding them to her delectable full breasts. Instinct kicked in to take over finally allowing him to touch her and enjoy what she offered.

Rising just a little Meg moved to position herself so she could lower herself down onto his now fully engorged manhood. It frightened her to see so much of him that would soon be inside of her. Gratefully she did not remember all of that last horrible experience. Meg wanted to erase any lingering memories of that time. That had been partially the reason she had taken control. If she controlled how and when they made love perhaps once and for all she could remove any lingering fears from her mind. Not all men were beasts seeking only to violate a woman taking their own pleasure. Nadir had proven that by his restraint.

Nadir held Meg's small waist in his hands. He imagined once the baby no longer enlarged her front he could span her waist with his hands. Indeed if not for the protrusion in front of her one would not notice anything different about Meg's body from other women. Everything on her body seemed to be of slender proportions. Remembering seeing her in her dancer's costume he would have to say Meg to be only slightly different as far as shape went.

When Meg slide down on him Nadir lost all rational thought. Meg set a rocking motion driving them both beyond the point of control. Nadir held her luscious breasts kissing their puckered nipples as he praised her and encouraged her. When she began to groan and whimper Nadir thought for sure his moment had come. His body tensed so tight he raised his back from the bed arching into Meg.

He held himself rigid until her felt the first quakes then the telltale spasms around his manhood. Wrapping his arms around her with a groan he gave into his pleasure spilling his seed into her warm welcoming womanhood.

Meg dropped heavily down onto Nadir's chest totally drained but greatly satisfied. She certainly could not be touted as an expert but she did feel as if Nadir had enjoyed it as well. She had felt…well had she not felt his release?

"Nadir did you…well was it good for you? I know I am not knowledgeable about such things but I am willing to learn. If I did anything incorrectly please tell me. I want this to be as wonderful for you as it is for me."

Nadir caught her chin between his fingers. He drew his lips to hers giving her a drugging kiss that lit fires in her belly once more.

"If I am any more satisfied I fear I will have died and gone to the great beyond. I would much prefer to stay here and enjoy you for many years to come. You my dear lovely wife are a wanton, a siren. I thank Allah for you every day and I will continue to do so as long as he grants us the blessing of our life here and now and on into the afterlife."

Meg slid to the side of Nadir then rolled to her back. She looked down seeing her protruding belly. She began to gnaw her lip.

Had he only said that so he did not hurt her feelings? Oh God, why had she asked such a question? Oh course he would say something complementary. He was a true gentleman after all. She had more than likely disgusted him.

Meg covered her face with both hands to hide her shame flushed face. Speaking through her fingers she asked a bit incoherently, "I have disgusted you have I not? Why look at me when there are all those beautiful slim women out there who are not waddling with a child growing in there belly. You must see thousands everyday. Why would you want me?"

Nadir had just been descending from his cloud of happiness when he heard Meg's words and then the unmistakable sound of her crying. Meg had become quit emotional lately crying at the drop of a hat or the change in the direction of the wind. It did not take much to set her off.

Nadir raised himself up onto his elbow. He gently brushed Meg's hair from her tear wet cheek. Leaning down he gently placed kisses over her face then on her lips. He gradually increased the intensity until he felt her arms go around him and her lips begin to respond to his gentle kisses. Once he felt her respond he kissed her passionately so she could have no doubt how he felt.

Gently he moved across her. He kneed her legs apart then sank down filling her slowly with his manhood until she accepted all of him. He waited a moment for her to adjust to him.

Once he felt her hips moving he began the slow rhythm that would take them to the topmost sensual pinnacle, then slowly descend to earth.

Afterward Nadir asked her if she had any doubts. She had replied, "None". He had asked if she were sure. She had replied, "Quite sure". Nadir had muttered a damn, because he had been all set to prove it to her all over again. Meg had considered that for a second then pitifully replied that perhaps she had not been as certain as she had thought. Nadir happily put forth his best effort to convince her. Meg confided that perhaps he should make sure to remind her in this way daily how much he wanted and adored her. She would do the same.

**A/N: I was quite happy with this chapter. I liked the tenderness betweent Mag and Nadir. Did it meet everyone's expectations? Leave me a review. Give a ye or ne. **


	68. Chapter 67

**Chapter Sixty-seven**

**Wedge Between Lovers**

Christine did not wait long to begin her campaign. The day after the wedding during rehearsal she made deliberate errors in what should have been an easy progression of notes. She feigned fatigue as an excuse to make delays. Ruthlessly she used others mistakes to spend time extolling others failures while ignoring her own. After a particularly hostile exchange with one of the male leads Christine burst into practiced tears.

When she had begun to cry Erik had placed his hand on her shoulder in comfort. Christine had moved to lean against his strong chest. Erik had instinctively put his arms around her. He missed her self-satisfied smile. Erik remembered other times he had held Christine in his arms. They had been few but they had been memorable as she had been the only woman in his life really at that time. Holding her now did he did not feel his heart pounding in his chest nor thank God did he feel the swelling in his trousers.

As luck would have it Katherine came in just at that moment. Christine noticing her coming down the aisle leaned closer to Erik. She put her hands on is chest moving one had up to caress over his chest then on to his face. Christine tilted her face up towards Erik's as if they were about to kiss.

Katherine jerked to a halt. Angry storms entered her eyes only outdone by the angry fire fueling her mind. She wanted to rip Christine from Erik then smash that smiling face with her fist. Ladylike behavior be damned she wanted a little bit of retribution as well as to lay claim to the man she considered her own. Not wanting to give everyone a ringside seat while she and Christine grappled around Katherine thought she had better leave while she still had the willpower to do so.

Erik glancing to the side saw Katherine. He also saw her turn angrily back the way she had come. Quickly he stepped away from Christine with barely an apology or taking time to excuse himself before his feet were clomping down the stairs then running up the aisle after Katherine.

He caught her just as she had been about to open the auditorium doors. Erik took hold of her elbow gently but firmly.

Pulling her back toward him, her back leaned against his chest as Erik took hold of her waist. He could smell her intoxicating perfume and something else that he had concluded had to be some scent only Katherine possessed, a scent that shot directly to his senses then to his manhood hardening him with want.

Katherine spoke angrily as she tried to jerk away from Erik, "Do you fondle all the women performers or is Christine the only one?"

Katherine did not really believe Erik would come to her then continue an affair with Christine. Her jealousy of Erik and Christine stemmed from the fact that Erik had known Christine first, loved her first. No matter how much he loved Katherine she knew that another woman had held his heart before her. It hurt no matter how foolish she told herself she was to allow it to bother her.

For the most part Katherine could ignore what had gone before but Christine had blatantly flirted and caressed Erik during the wedding. Now she found them in what had looked to be a lover's embrace. If others had not been present Katherine could have been forgiven for thinking something untoward had been taking place. Erik had not acted like he had another woman on his mind last night while in Katherine's bed. She smiled just a bit when she thought that at times Erik had been so intent on their pleasure he could not have stated his own name if asked.

Erik whispered in Katherine's ear, "God Katherine you have to know by now how I feel. I had thought I had shown you last night how much you mean to me."

Glancing over his shoulder he noted that everyone seemed to be occupied but he would not take a chance and compromise Katherine in any way. Erik pulled Katherine into a darkened alcove out of the sight of prying eyes.

Taking her into his arms he kissed her until they were both breathless. He would not let her go until she had promised to leave her balcony door open in case some friend needed quick access to Katherine. When asked why such a friend could not use the front door Erik could only surmise that perhaps this fellow would not dream of disturbing the household. Did that not make him a very thoughtful fellow?

Katherine had giggled then replied that yes indeed that friend if he came would be most welcome and everyone would appreciate his thoughtfulness. She teased him about a fellow who already made regular visits using this method so if he did not make a timely appearance that other masked man may find himself welcomed once again.

Christine had angrily watched Erik return after leaving Katherine. She had not missed him pulling her into the alcove.

Angrily she crumpled her script between her hands. She would need to step up her campaign it would seem.

Christine continued to flounder purposefully. Erik stayed behind at night after rehearsals to coach her. He sent Katherine notes explaining everything.

Katherine replied that she would be leaving her balcony door open to catch the night breeze.

The third night Erik sent a message Katherine did not reply. She accepted a dinner invitation from Brett. She had not really wanted to go but why should she stay at home mopping when Erik and Christine were somewhere probably all cozy and comfortable doing whatever one did to try to improve an inept performer's singing. Had she not since the first day said Hayden's protégée was the better choice?

Erik took the next day off after his latest missed night with Katherine. He needed to make amends to Katherine. He had intended to show up at her home carrying a picnic basket and a bottled of chilled wine. Marianne informing him another of his shipments had gone missing started off his day badly.

Erik had decided enough was enough, when Ox came sauntering into the office asking Erik if he knew his little woman had been seen in Raoul's restaurant with that Pinkerton gent Brett Bartlett.

Ox had gone on to say that he himself had a jealous streak a mile wide. There'd be no way in hell he'd trust some sweet talkin' dandy around his woman. He was glad to know Erik felt at ease with a man who could coax the honey from the bees to keep Katherine company while Erik had been busy.

When Marianne had told Ox with a certain amount of disgust and disapproval in her voice that Erik had been _**coaching **_Mrs. de Chagny, Ox's brows had raised to his hairline but he refrained from making a comment due to Erik's threatening look in his direction. Marianne left no doubt how she felt about the matter. She slammed a stack of papers on Erik's desk and left the room slamming the door causing a picture to fall to the floor.

Apparently Erik had been willing to shoot the messenger Ox had surmised as Erik had continued to eye Ox as if he were contemplating just how to go about bringing on his demise. Ox had made a hasty retreat leaving Erik to fume about what he had learned.

Erik slammed out of his office. Breezing by Marianne without a word he went to the stable behind the theatre. Declining the help of the stable boy Erik saddled Mephistopheles himself. Once he had him saddled he led him out of his stall then mounted him. Whirling Mephistopheles around Erik headed out of the city toward Katherine's.

Erik had been tempted to whip Mephistopheles making him run hell for leather to ease some of Erik's anger and frustrations before he spoke to Katherine. It would not do him one bit of good to kill his horse in an angry moment letting his temper get the better of him.

Once he dismounted he tied the reins to the hitching post. Walking toward the door he inhaled deeply. Calming himself he quickly re-accessed the situation. He would not face Katherine with anger fueling his thoughts. Jealousy and anger had not worked well for him with Christine.

What after all had happened? Katherine had gone to dinner in a public place where she was sure to be recognized and her presence commented on while Erik himself had been locked in a deserted building with a woman he had once desired above taking his next breath. No one would have seen them if they had coupled on the floor in a mad frenzy of wanton lust. They had not of course but they could have and he could say with a certain amount of surety that Katherine still thought he had some residual feelings for Christine. Being honest with himself he admitted that he did feel some sort of affection for her, nothing romantic.

Erik cursed himself for being a blind fool. He had no doubt left Katherine with the opinion he would rather be with Christine than with her. He had cancelled so many of their planned evenings to coach Christine. Damn it he would not let his opera fail. Katherine would just have to try to understand. He would have to make her understand.

Erik grabbed the bell-pull giving it a firm yank. He heard the bell chime behind the door. A moment later Mrs. Graham opened the door. The smile that had been on her face fell to be replaced by a frown while she sniffed angrily in his direction beginning to close the door in his face.

He stopped the door with the flat of his hand. Really he did not even have to push very hard before Mrs. Graham let him swing the door open so he could peer around her. He knew Mrs. Graham approved of his relationship with Katherine and for some strange reason had taken a liking to him. To get to Katherine he had to charm Mrs. Graham first. Noting the smile tugging the corner of her mouth he surmised her attitude had been more for show than any actual animosity.

He heard Quanah's little girl giggle. It sounded like it came from just inside the parlor. Erik looked in the mirror that stood adjacent to the door of the parlor.

Sure enough he saw Katherine holding Quanah in her arms pressing her finger against her own lip to signal the little girl to be silent. Katherine did not look angry. Perhaps she only wanted him to grovel just a little before she openly forgave him. He owed her that. He silently said a prayer of thanks he had not lost Katherine over some foolishness he did not seem to be able to control. He wanted his opera but he wanted Katherine more.

"Mrs. Graham…"

"Now Erik dear boy what have I told you about that? Call me Gamm as everyone else does. So what business do you have here young man? If you have come here with anything other than an apology in mind I shall sick the dog on you." Erik and Gamm looked down at the saggy jowled Bassett hound then looked at one another barely restraining the laugh that wanted to burst forth. Moses at fifteen years old just about had enough teeth left to gnaw mashed potatoes. As a threat it was humorously ridiculous at best.

Quickly Gamm glanced over her shoulder into the parlor. Leaning forward she whispered conspiratorially to Erik, "I do think if you are especially convincing and persuasive with shall we say your amorous attention Katherine will willingly fall into your arms."

Equally quietly Erik whispered in return, "Why Gamm you old romantic you. Does Katherine know she has a Benedict Arnold in her employ? Shall I tell her and impress her with my unfailing veracity?"

Gamm swatted his arm, "Oh you scoundrel. It was Miss Katherine herself that said she had decided you were an innocent in all of this other than being a mite dimwitted where Mrs. de Chagny was concerned. She wanted me to detain you only for a few minutes anyway. She'd have skinned me alive if I had let you leave without speaking to her. Now you best begin to act as if you are ready to grovel at her feet."

Straightening Erik spoke a little louder than required so his voice carried loud and clear to the parlor, "Gamm please I beseech you, have pity on me. Plead my case with Katherine. I humbly beg you for just a word with her. Please find it in your heart to let this wretched soul find peace with only a few quiet words with Katherine."

Hearing footsteps coming from just to the left of Gamm, Erik smiled in triumph. He would swear he heard Gamm call him a scandalous imp just before she left. He had certainly been called worse.

Katherine came into view carrying Quanah who began to squirm to be put down. Once her feet touched solid footing she ran to Erik promptly sitting down on his boot as she wrapped her arms around his leg. She dug her chin in his thigh which did hurt just a bit but Erik would never ask her to stop claiming his boot or leg as her own personal carnival ride.

Erik put his hands in his pockets then said, "So," as he rocked back and forth on the heels of his boots which brought happy giggles from Quanah. Quanah pulled his hand out of his pocket so that she could fish out her sweet. Erik had not forgotten even in his rush to come see Katherine.

"Yes indeed so," Katherine replied without having any clue what she meant or what Erik's one word comment meant either for that matter.

"May I come in? Just for a few minutes," Erik quickly qualified.

"So now I am down to having only a few moments of your time? Well I suppose that is better than not seeing you at all as has been the case these last few days." Katherine crossed her arms across her abdomen just under her breasts which shamefully tightened under Erik's heated stare. Katherine had to force her arms to stay put when they wanted to inch up covering her puckering nipples.

When Erik continued to stare at her chest Katherine could feel the heat working its way up into her cheeks.

In frustration she dropped her hands then flung her arms out in exasperation as she stated, "I swear Erik you are like a pubescent boy. Must you stare so fixedly at my…my… well must you stare so?"

"Your…your…your what? Was I staring and since when do you know anything about pubescent boys? I rather think I can make an argument that men would definitely stare at your…your…your you know what's quite avidly although if they did I might be forced to blind them."

Katherine could not stand another moment without having Erik's arms around her. She ran the few steps that took her to him. Leaping forward she flung herself into his arms giggling like a schoolgirl. Erik stumbled back a couple of steps from the unexpected launching of a woman into his arms.

Kissing her thoroughly Erik picked her up to hold her against him as he devoured her lips with his own. Reluctantly he lowered Katherine to her feet.

He had been just about to make a suggestive remark concerning retiring to her room but looking down he saw the smiling face of Quanah.

"Shitaá stay. I want me shitaá." Quanah hugged Erik's leg tighter as if that would keep him with them. She spoke with a mixture of English and Apache as had become her habit of late.

Bending down Erik picked her up as he said, "Is that so? Quanah's shitaá would like to stay but for now I may only visit. Visit. Do you understand?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Shitaá no visit…uh…visit Nadir. Shitaá stay here. Now. Always. Me shitaá me shimaa."

Katherine could not quite meet Erik's eyes. She hoped he did not think she had coached Quanah to say any of this.

"Well now Quanah you may just be right. I think that is a fine idea. What do…" Erik did not get to finish what he would have said as Gamm returned to announce she had made a fresh pot of coffee and apple tarts.

Once they sat down the former conversation had been left behind. Katherine asked how things were going with the opera and Erik's other interests. Had he found anything yet to incriminate Jackson Tyler? If Katherine had been privy to Erik's earlier dark mood concerning Jackson Tyler she would not have asked about anything concerning business. She still went into the office for a few hours every once in a while but with Quanah here she found she would much rather stay at home and entertain her.

Katherine had toyed with the notion to let Erik know about Jackson Tyler being the man who had come to their village seeking gold in exchange for weapons and supplies. Coming to the conclusion it would do no one any good for Erik to beat the man senseless Katherine had kept silent.

Erik slammed his cup down cursing angrily forgetting there was a small impressionable child at the table listening intently with wide eyes. A child who thought of him as next to the sky spirits.

"That fucking bastard took another of my shipments. I am just a hairs breath from cutting his bal…" Katherine and Gamm both exclaimed and protested Erik's words.

"Erik!" Katherine scolded turning her eyes toward an avidly attentive Quanah.

"That will be quit enough young man. I think we need to remind you that you are in the presence of ladies. One of which is at a very impressionable age," Gamm declared with displeasure.

Snatching up the empty coffee pot Gamm marched out as if headed off to mount an attack against some unknown foe. When she returned she poured Erik's cup of coffee. Not by look or change of expression did she indicate anything was amiss.

Katherine held her cup up to be filled. Gamm shook her head giving Katherine a meaningful look. Gamm would not. She could not. Apparently she had.

Erik took a healthy swallow of the liquid only to turn and spit it out immediately as he said, "Son of a bitch. That has soap flakes in it."

"I did think your mouth could use a washing after all those foul words leaving it. Perhaps the next time you will remember your manners." Gamm had her hands folded with a stern look on her face even if her lips did twitch just a tad and there was a distinct sparkle in her eye.

Quanah spit out her milk happily repeating Erik's words, "Son of a bitch. Soap flakes." She looked in Erik's direction seeking his approval for having mastered more English words.

Erik looked from Katherine to Gamm for some guidance. They shrugged leaving him to try to explain to a three year old why she should not repeat what an adult had just said when they had always encouraged and indeed praised her for doing so.

Gamm retrieved the second pot of coffee which Erik refused to touch until Katherine had drunk from her own cup.

Katherine had been amused to watch Erik struggle to explain to Quanah that some words should not be said when in the company of others or better yet not at all. Those types of words were bad and people who said them were bad needing to have their mouths washed out as Gamm had done to him.

Looking up adoringly into Erik's face she had wrinkled her brow and chewed the end of her hair as she sat on Erik's boot. Heaven knew what the child would do as she gained weight and height and still wanted to ride Erik's boot.

Quanah being inquisitive and observant asked, "Shitaá bad? No, no, no. Me shitaá good."

Erik looked at Gamm and Katherine standing listening to him just in case he had floundered. He gave them a smug smile.

"See Leg Grabber thinks I am good. At least I have one loyal adoring admirer."

"Erik dear boy if you gain any more admirers you and I will be heading for the woodshed. That French tart always hanging around sniffing at your heels all the time, why it is a disgrace I say. Why Miss Katherine puts up with it is a mystery to me. Any woman I could name would tell you to ditch that woman. She is nothing but trouble I tell you."

Erik went to Katherine to pull her close to him as he replied, "Katherine knows I love her. She knows she has no need to be jealous of Christine. Katherine is made of sterner stuff than the average woman."

Katherine did not feel as if she were made of sterner stuff. She felt every bit as jealous as any other woman would be. Erik made her sound like some unnatural paragon of virtue.

Katherine returned Erik's embrace even as she wished she could give him the ultimatum to get ride of Christine or not bother to come around any more.

She could not bring herself to ruin Erik's chance to shine among the musical patrons. He had worked hard on this opera and he deserved to be a success. If Katherine had known how things would go she would have tied, gagged and shipped Christine to China herself. Hindsight is twenty-twenty they say.

Christine continued to demand Erik's time. When he forgot to come for Quanah's birthday party Katherine felt either Christine found a new coach or Erik could keep his precious soprano and loose her and Quanah.

When he came bearing a large bouquet of flowers with not so much as an excuse or apology Katherine had shoved him unceremoniously out the door as Quanah had asked him if he had thought her a bad little girl and he no longer wanted to be her father. Was that why he did not come to her party? With mixed words of English and Apache, as well the words being from a three year old the meaning had been lost on Erik. Quanah had not known all the words to express her feelings so things had been a little jumbled. Katherine being privy to both languages understood her meaning. Erik thought she called him a bad father which had his own eyes filling with tears. Her little eyes filling with tears that trickled down her little cheeks said it all. He had hurt her. Erik had hurt his little girl and himself in the process.

He had turned around to see Matthew standing there with his arms folded and Martin beside him with a pitch fork. Erik thought it would be best to leave things for now. Katherine would not want him to get into a scuffle with her brother or her employee. Erik left hoping he could make amends later.

**A/N: Please don't forget to review. Even if you have me favorited you can still leave reviews. As I have said before for a fanfiction writer it is about the numbers after the creativity so please help raise my numbers and my esteem and confidence in writing.**


	69. Chapter 68

**Chapter Sixty-eight**

**Life Begins **

Nadir strolled happily toward the office building. This would be his first day back since he and Meg had married. He would have stayed at home today but Meg had shooed him out.

She and the other ladies were going shopping for things she considered of dire importance for her new home. Renovations would be complete in another few days. Considering Meg would be delivering in another six weeks or so they did need to make their new home habitable for the three of them or if the doctor was correct four of them. Nadir sighed once again. He had been doing that somewhat on a regular basis since he and Meg had begun life as a married couple. He looked at the world differently now than he had before he and Meg had joined their live.

To think of himself as a husband filled him with pride. Contemplating becoming a father had his chest swelling to the point his buttons may pop right off his shirt. Even if the child were not of his body in spirit he already considered the little one his child. He would be the one to tuck it in. He would be the one to hear the word papa when the child addressed him.

Meg had long since fallen asleep the night before as he had gently rubbed her moving stomach. The kicks he had felt filled him with wonder. He had communed with the unborn child every night. He wanted the child to enter the world knowing he or she had been greatly anticipated and would be welcomed wholeheartedly.

Nadir could not help but recall his wedding night with pleasure. He had wanted to take things slowly and indeed he had been most careful of Meg.

He could not keep the silly smile from his lips when he thought of just how wanton Meg had been. After the first time they had made love she had let her doubts about her own attractions drag her into quite a state. He well remembered his previous wife's tearful meanderings throughout the day. Everything and nothing made her cry. Nadir being a wise man had not mentioned his former wife but had set about reassuring Meg in a most pleasurable manner for the both of them.

Nadir had almost reached the building housing Erik's office when Erik himself stepped out with Darius. Erik did not look to be in a mood to share pleasantries. Nadir almost turned tail so he might go back to Meg. Remembering she would be out he sighed facing Erik with the attitude of a gladiator facing an angry lion with a thorn in his paw. Hopefully he could remove Erik's thorn with the same effect that the mouse of the story had upon the lion.

Nadir had opened his mouth to speak but Erik's irritable exclamation interrupted him before he could utter one word, "Damn it Nadir it is about time you showed up. Things have turned to shit the last few days. Christine is demanding so much of my time. I have spent the last few nights coaching her. Katherine is about to scalp us both. No matter how many times I reassure Katherine that nothing more than professional discussions take place between Christine and I she seems to disbelieve me."

Darius snorted at the blindness in Erik where Christine was concerned. Could the man not see that Christine had gone out of her way to make it known that the two of them had been alone on those nights. He had even caught her giggling foolishly with a few of the women performers about what had occurred after everyone had left. She gave no specifics. She let their imaginations fill in the blanks she had left. Darius added his opinion scathingly, "Erik you are a fool if you let Christine's doe eyes fool you. Behind those eyes that look as innocent as any doe there lurks a lioness on the prowl. She is not looking for food. If you continue to wear blinkers you will lose Katherine. Did you not say she had already dined with that Brett fellow when you cancelled diner because Christine claimed to be upset and shed a few tears?"

"That fucking cowboy had better know who Katherine belongs to. Just because she does not wear my ring does not mean she does not wear my brand."

"If you do not show Katherine a little more concern and Christine a little less you may end up not having a woman to worry about other than Christine. She has made it abundantly clear she is available and is willing to warm your bed. Everyone but you can see this. You have focused too much on this production and not enough on your personal life."

"Damn it this is important to me. Katherine knows that. If she does not know by now how I feel she never will."

"Women like to be reminded from time to time that they have your full attention where your heart is concerned."

Nadir looked from one to the other of them as they continued to argue. It would seem Christine had taken on a secondary role, that of mischief-maker. Nadir had thought Erik had at last come to know what sort of woman Christine had become. Apparently he wanted his opera performed so badly he would risk his relationship with Katherine.

Nadir had only been here for a few minutes and already his head had begun to ache. He longed to return to Meg so that she might soothe his brow with her wonderfully soft hands.

In frustration Nadir held his hands up for silence so he could speak with calm reason, "Erik why not inform Christine that it is no longer possible to meet after the day ends. You will allot an hour or two during the performance day for her alone."

"Ask either the pianist or the violinist to play so that you may concentrate solely on Christine's voice. That would preclude the necessity to being alone with Christine. You continue to tutor her she continues to improve. Your evenings are free for Katherine. Everyone gets what they want except perhaps Christine."

"Why the hell were you not here when Katherine shucked my bouquet and I out of her door in anger last night? I am not sure but I do think Quanah called me a bad father. At least I heard the English words bad and father in the same sentence." Erik had been quite put out to say the least. He had missed an evening with Katherine and Quanah. Seeing Quanah's tears trickle down her cheek then drip off her chin had nearly undone him. If Katherine had not shoved him out the door then slammed it rather forcefully Erik would have dropped to his knees begging for them to forgive him. As it was Matthew had stood just outside with his arms crossed in an intimidating manner and just behind Matthew stood Martin with a pitchfork in his hand.

Erik had not wanted to cause any trouble so he had left determined to find some way to make this all work.

Erik began to pace furiously up and down the sidewalk as the other two men watched. He raised and lowered his arms, waving them about for emphasis as he angrily exclaimed, "I have only been a father for a short time and already I am a fucking failure."

"Erik how many times must I warn you that this vulgar habit you have developed for cursing is not proper around ladies but especially not around children. I am quite surprised Mrs. Graham has not taken you to task or Katherine for that matter."

Erik cringed when he remembered that indeed he had been taken to task by Mrs. Graham in the form of an innocent looking cup of coffee laced with soap flakes. It did serve as a reminder to control his outbursts. He knew it lowered the opinion of others when they heard him cursing but sometimes it felt so damn good just to have a satisfying cursing session. Of late his fits of angry cursing had been more frequent. He privately acknowledged he must try to curb this sudden habit, well perhaps not so sudden at that. When he had lived under the opera house he had deplored the use of vulgarities. Now when he became angry they seemed to spout out of his mouth quite easily.

Erik was not ready to concede he had done anything wrong just yet as he bit out, "Was it your plan to retire now that you are married? Since you and Meg both enjoy your creature comforts I had expected you to continue to work." Erik knew he sounded spiteful and out of sorts. Well he had good reason to be. None of it had been Nadir's or anyone else's fault other than his own. He could not rail at himself successfully so he took his anger out on everyone else.

"Well Erik, it may have slipped your mind but I did just get married. A honeymoon was not out of order. I have only been away for a week. Most consider a month an adequate honeymoon period. You should be grateful. Instead I encounter this abuse and hostility. I could return home you know where I am appreciated."

Erik hung his head then exhaled angrily. He brought his hands to his face to wipe them over it in frustration. Why could things not ever be simple? In the old days he asked they refused. He threatened they complied. Now he had debased himself almost daily for things to run smoothly. If things did not become easier he would be turning the whole mess over to Hayden, Darius and Nadir. He would not lose Katherine over his damn opera even if it did mean he would have an actual production with his name on it that would be performed. Why must everything take on gargantuan proportions where his personal life was concerned?

Erik finally stomped down his anger. He apologized to both Nadir and Darius. It had been hard but he had admitted his fault in the matter. For Erik to openly admit he had been in the wrong could safely be said to be one of those red letter days that should be marked on the calendar for posterity.

The three men made their way into the theatre auditorium. The cast members and a few of the ballet corps had gathered when Erik had called for silence as he had an announcement.

To say Christine had been angry when Erik announced they would no longer be staying after hours but studying during the day would be like taking a steak from a hungry lion he will roar and strike out.

Christine had to restrain herself from throwing something. As it was she had to clench her thighs together to prevent herself from stamping her foot. Instead she plastered a sweet smile on her face. It had been hard but she had convinced Erik that she would be perfectly happy to practice during the day.

Damn it this had to be Katherine's doing. Her jealousy at least had worked its way to the surface. Christine had been all set to try to seduce Erik this evening. She had ordered a dinner to be brought for the two of them. Christine had even gone to the trouble to find Erik's favorite wine. She had purchased two bottles. Well now plan B would have to be executed since Erik had thwarted her plans to seduce him here in the theatre she would simply move the location to her hotel room.

Christine smiled cattily as she contemplated Katherine discovering Erik in her bed unclothed. That would once and for all end things.

All Christine had to do was send a message with one of the bellhops. If she paid him enough he would be willing to exaggerate her condition. She would let Erik think she had become suicidal. Christine nearly laughed aloud at the irony of that.

Erik would come of course. He would not suspect anything. If Christine answered the door looking distraught with tears pouring from her eyes what could Erik do but comfort her?

She would offer him some wine. A friendly glass of wine among friends. Christine had purchased a bottle of laudanum. A few drops in Erik's drink and he would be unconscious. If she bribed that same bellhop to come to her room later to help her get Erik to bed the hard part would be over.

Christine would have of course sent a prior note to Katherine asking her to come to Christine's room so that they might mend fences. Christine would find it hard to seem as if she was ready to grovel to that heathen squaw but to win Erik it would be worth it.

Once Katherine saw Erik in her bed she would not stick around to see if Erik were conscious or not.

Christine thought it might be wise just to open the door only covered in a sheet. If she left the door of her bedroom open Katherine would not miss seeing Erik sprawled across her bed tangled in the blankets as if they had mad passionate love. Perhaps when Erik awoke she would convince him they had. If later she declared herself with child Erik would do the honorable thing and marry her.

Yes, this would work quite well. This evening would do just fine. It always paid to have a second plan of action.


	70. Chapter 69

**A/N: Sorry if some of this seems like a repeat of a former chapter. I didn't really notice it until I had been going to post it. Way to late to change things so I tried to use it as a sort of Ground Hog Day affect. I don't know if I managed to cover my faux paux sucessfully or not. I did try. As compensation I will post another chapter about midnight my time. Hope you still offer me reviews. Love those reviews.**

**Chapter Sixty-nine**

**Plots and Plans**

All that day during rehearsals Christine deliberately missed easily achieved notes on purpose. She used her skills as an actress to summon tears that had Erik wrapping his arms around her awkwardly trying to comfort her. He patted her back and spoke encouragingly to her.

The banging of the auditorium door had everyone jumping. Erik knew almost before he looked that it would be Katherine standing there. Had fate not already played out this same scene just days ago?

The glowering look she sent his way did not bode well. Stepping away from Christine Erik sprinted down the steps. As soon as his feet hit the floor he began to run. Katherine had her hand on the door ready to open it and leave in an angry huff when she felt Erik's hand on her arm. Her damn skirts and petticoats had hampered her quick getaway.

Erik pulled her back against him. Katherine knew Erik loved her. What bothered her most about his association with Christine was the fact that he had loved her first. Christine had been his first love no matter how much he professed to love Katherine there would always be this doubt whenever she saw them together. Lately it seemed as if every time she came upon Erik and Christine he had Christine nestled against his chest.

If she came to the opera house every day would she find the same scene before her eyes?

Katherine jerked her arm out of Erik's grasp. She knew he must have an explanation but she had been so understanding and tolerant lately and it had begun to eat ate her. It did not help that it had been Christine he had been holding. Almost any other woman would have given Katherine pause to be in Erik's arms but she would have stayed to listen to his explanation.

No matter how hard she tried she could not forget that he had loved Christine first. He had burned down a building, killed for her, wept for her, nearly died for her. Not that Katherine wanted him to do any of those things for her, they just illustrated the depth of the emotion Erik had felt. She admitted her jealousy. What woman would not be jealous in the same situation?

"Do you fondle all the female performers in that manner or is Christine special? You did love her at one time. Perhaps being around her has sparked your passion for her."

Erik whispered in her ear, "Katherine you know I love you. I would never do anything to cause you any pain or to have mistrust in me. I had only been comforting Christine as she had been having trouble lately and it upset her."

"If she cannot perform perhaps she should step down and let Regina Tate take her place. After all we would not want to jeopardize your great masterpiece." Katherine hated that she denigrated Erik's work in that way, with her voice filled with sarcasm. She made it sound as if she had no faith in his talents at all.

"Katherine." Erik warned her in a soft whisper as he gently shook her.

Glancing around toward the stage he saw everyone paying not the slightest bit of attention to them. Not wanting to tempt fate Erik pulled Katherine into a darkened alcove.

Once completely engulfed in the shadows Erik felt a little of his old power return. He would use it just this once to convince Katherine of his fidelity and unwavering devotion.

"Katherine, I love you, only you." Taking her hand as his voice drew her nearer he continued, "Feel how fast my heart beats for you. Feel the passion I have for you in my kiss." He kissed her, drugging her with her own desire for him.

Releasing her lips Erik hummed softly and seductively the notes of the song he had written for her. He felt her sag against him as if she had melted. He held her as he kissed her once more. She had become totally pliant in his arms. He could do anything he wished and she would not deter him. Of course he would never take advantage of Katherine while under his hypnotic influence.

Reluctantly he released her. Pulling back he looked into her face to see her eyes still closed with a bemused look on her face.

"Do you believe me now? Have I convinced you that only you are in my mind and heart? I could continue to persuade you but I fear this is neither the time nor the place for what I have in mind."

Leaning her forehead against his chest contentedly she whispered, "Yes I believe you. I never really doubted you. I let my insecurities and dislike of Christine influence me. I will try not to let it happen again. I promise."

She did indeed intend to keep her promise but Christine had other ideas. Christine had been feeling desperate. It was only a matter of time before Nadir proposed as he wanted to be known as the baby's father. Meg would be gone leaving her alone.

Long after Erik had chased Katherine down Christine had stood just behind the curtain watching the two of them. She did not miss Erik pulling Katherine into the shadows. It did not require a very vivid imagination to know what had been taking place in that dark alcove.

Seething in anger and fear Christine began to plot once again how to bring about what she wanted to happen between Erik and herself.

Christine did not think she could manage on her own. She had always had someone there to take charge, to tell her what to do. With Meg gone she had found herself less willing to return to the suite at night. The nighttime hours were the worst, the loneliest.

As she had angrily watched Erik chase after his little whore Christine determined she would win by fair means or foul.

When Erik had come back he had been cool toward Christine. She did not let that bother her as it only meant Katherine had been jealous which bode well for her plan.

Christine had continued to play the distraught, tearful, apologizing fool all the rest of the day. She had sounded so pathetic to her own ears she patted herself on the back mentally shouting brava.

Erik let everyone go home for the evening as he had work in the opera office to attend to. He wanted to get it out of the way in case Katherine came by this evening. That Brett fellow had been tying her apron strings around his waist. Katherine had assured him that Brett's interest was for Marianne only.

Erik trusted Katherine implicitly it was as he had thought many times before, all the other bastards out there that he did not trust.

Having returned to her hotel Christine wrote her note to Erik trying to make it sound as if she had come to the end of her rope so to speak. She had already sent one to Katherine via Douglas. More than likely Katherine was on her way at this very moment thinking that Christine would be making amends and apologizing for her behavior.

Christine sniffed indignantly. Why should she lower herself to apologize to that whore? Once Katherine severed all ties with Erik, he would once and for all see that Christine had always been meant to be his just as he had been meant to be hers. That had been why they had come into one another's lives when they needed someone the most.

Christine went to her desk with purpose in her steps. Sitting down she took out paper and pen to begin her note to Erik.

My dearest Erik,

Please forgive me for any trouble I may have caused you. I know what this opera means to you. I feel I must step down. I shall always appreciate your faith in me even though I have let you down horribly. I wish you every success.

Good-bye my dearest Erik until we meet once again in the world beyond this one. Now I will forever be your Angel of Music as you were once mine.

Love always,

Christine,

Christine having read the note once again felt it would surely bring Erik here to make sure she had not done anything to harm herself.

Taking a bit of wax she sealed her fate just as Erik had sealed his all those years ago with notes to get what he wanted.

Christine pulled the cord that would set off the bell behind the concierge's desk. Christine had left a standing order for Douglas to always respond to her calls for service.

The young man wanted wealth and did not care much how he earned it. For a price he would do anything short of murder.

Christine had already spoken with Douglas earlier to apprise him of her plan and his part in it. She would ask him to repeat the whole thing again once he arrived. Christine did not want any surprises.

Before she handed over the note Christine asked him to repeat the plan to her.

The first order of business had been to deliver the note at the right time giving Miss Montgomery enough time to arrive at he appropriate moment.

Once the gentleman had been incapacitated with the laudanum and wine Mrs. de Chagny would ring down for him. He would then come up and help put the gentleman to bed.

Handing Douglas the note Christine bade him to be quick about it.

Once he had gone Christine set about staging the scene. She released all the pins from her hair. Running her fingers thorough it she ruffled her curls into disarray. She unbuttoned a few buttons.

Going to get the wine and laudanum she remembered how she had nearly been foiled by the new policies these Americans were beginning to enforce on doctors and pharmacies. She had to see several doctors before she found one that would prescribe the laudanum to a woman who checked out as perfectly healthy. At first even the unscrupulous doctor Douglas recommended had been reluctant to prescribe laudanum for her.

Fearing she would leave empty handed she described some of the symptoms she actually suffered mentally. He lost no time writing out the prescription.

Christine had then gone and purchased half a dozen bottles of Erik's favorite wine. Christine had no idea how much one had to drink to be drunk so she decided half a dozen bottles sounded good.

Looking in the mirror as she passed by Christine felt satisfied with the results she achieved by freeing her hair.

Opening a bottle Christine poured a generous amount into the glass. Swallowing it all down Christine refilled the glass. Picking up an empty wine bottle Christine crossed over to the little table beside the couch. Swallowing down the second glass Christine precisely set the glass on the table by the empty bottle of wine. She had Douglas bring her up an empty one she could have laying somewhere Erik would be sure to see it. She placed it just at the end of the couch laying it on its side as if dropped by a half drunk woman. She smiled smugly at her devious mind. Now all she had to do was wait for the evening's performance to begin once the curtain came up.


	71. Chapter 70

**Chapter Seventy**

**Compromising Positions**

Going to the opera house Douglas waited until he saw the gentleman Mrs. de Chagny had pointed out to him one evening as he entered the hotel with Miss Montgomery.

Opening the door Douglas entered approaching Erik with a confidence above his station.

"Sir, could you tell me if a Mr. Fontaine is still in the building?" He knew very well the gentleman he sought stood before him but he could not let his knowledge be known.

"I am Mr. Fontaine. How may I help you." Erik glanced at his pocket watch. If Katherine were to come he might not be home if he delayed too long. He had a special evening planned. Perhaps he might hint at making their union permanent?

"I have a message here from Mrs. de Chagny sir. If you don't mind my saying so sir she did not look well at all."

Leaning toward Erik in a conspiratorial manner he whispered as if there might be someone else here eavesdropping. "I am not one to gossip sir but the lady looked as if she had consumed quite a bit of drink and I cannot be sure but I think I saw a bottle of what could have been sleeping tablets on the table opened with some of the pills spilling out."

Erik gave the boy a generous tip. Tearing open the envelope Erik pulled out the paper to read. At first he did not comprehend the meaning behind the words. What that boy had told him that he had observed in Christine's suite along with the note had Erik running across the lobby. Barging through the doors he searched the surrounding street for a cab. Erik's own driver would not come for another ten minutes or so.

Spotting a cab with his flag up Erik whistled while he waved his arms about frantically. God he hoped he made it in time.

Erik offered the man triple his regular fare if he got him to The Embassy Hotel as quickly as he could. Erik leaned back as the cab driver took off with a crack of his whip over the horses head.

Erik heard curses being hurled at the driver. The man must have been weaving in and out trying to avoid hitting other vehicles and pedestrians.

Once the cab stopped Erik jumped out turning to quickly throw the man a wade of cash far beyond what he had promised. He had no time to count money. Christine may have let her grief over recent events color her thinking. He prayed to God he had made it in time. Erik did not love Christine as a man loves a woman but he did care for her. He would never want to see her hurt.

Erik headed straight for the stairs. He could run up the stairs much faster than waiting around for the elevator. Good fortune smiled on him because he remembered the room number from when Christine had first moved in and sent him an invitation to visit which he never had responded to he now recalled with regret.

Finally coming to Christine's room Erik knocked loudly. A few drawn out seconds then the lock clicked just before the door opened and a teary eyed Christine peeped through the crack in the door.

"Christine, may I come in?" He placed his hand on the door ready to push it open if he needed to. Erik could smell the liquor emanating off of Christine.

Christine swung the door open then turned away with her shoulders hunched. She crossed her arms over her abdomen as if in pain as she cried piteously, "Oh Erik I never meant for you to see me like this. In fact I never…well I never thought we would see one another again." She sniffled loudly for effect.

Erik walked further into the room. He saw the half empty wine bottle sitting on the sideboard and the empty one lying on the floor. Erik wondered how long Christine had been drinking. He reached out and picked up the bottle of pills.

"Did you take any of these Christine? If you did please tell me how many."

"Oh Erik I am so ashamed. I never meant for you to see any of this." Christine threw herself against Erik wrapping her arms around him while resting her face against his strong chest.

"Erik please say you forgive me for all I have done. I do not want to go on without your forgiveness."

"Oh course I forgive you if that is what you need. For my part Christine there need have never been any forgiveness from you. I should have been the one begging your forgiveness."

Christine leaned away from him wiping her eyes giving him a watery smile as she asked, "Please, if you forgive me have a celebratory drink with me. I have your favorite wine."

Erik conceded to one glass. One would not hurt her again with a refusal and after all he did owe her this for all those years he manipulated her.

Christine poured a generous amount of wine then added three drops of laudanum. She must be careful as the normal dosage was seven drops or less. Any more could be fatal.

Returning to Erik she handed him a glass which he took readily and drank to Christine's toast for their continued friendship.

Once that glass had been emptied Christine made sure she kept his glass filled as she talked of nonsensical topics trying to keep him in the room until the drugs and alcohol took effect. It did not take long for Erik to begin to feel light headed. He sat down on the couch leaning his suddenly heavy head against the back of the couch.

When Christine assured herself that Erik was indeed unconscious she rang down for Douglas to come to help her get Erik into the bed.

It did not take long for Douglas to arrive and with his help Erik soon laid upon her bed. Christine had contemplated removing his clothing herself but in the end left that pleasure to Douglas.

Once Douglas had left the room Christine quickly removed her own clothing. She could not resist lifting the covers to look at Erik's hidden attributes.

She gasped when she saw how magnificent he looked. Erik had indeed stayed fit over the years. Looking down below his waist she marveled that even in this flaccid state Erik could indeed be said to be truly blessed among men.

She had thought Raoul to be adequate in that area but Erik should be proud to have a woman view him. Looking at him certainly made Christine's heart race. She wondered if she dared touch him. "Why not?" Christine asked herself. If things did not go as she wished this may be her only chance to touch Erik as she wished.

Reaching out a shaking hand Christine touched him with her finger. He felt warm and smooth. He did not respond to her touch. Feeling bold she wrapped her hand around him. Moving only slightly Christine felt her excitement building. Christine began to move her hand along his length as Raoul and others had taught her. Warmth began to flood her body as her nerves came alive with sensations she had been accustomed to sharing frequently in the past with Raoul then with whichever man had her interest at the time.

Gauging how much time she had Christine wondered if she dare straddle Erik so that she might pleasure herself as she enjoyed having him beneath her. Did even she dare that intimacy while Erik lies there helpless?

Deciding even she could not be that bold Christine satisfied herself with merely touching him. When Erik moaned then moved restlessly she jerked her hands back waiting to see if he woke or not. When nothing further occurred, Christine once again placed her hands on Erik.

When Erik's manhood began to harden Christine grasped him in awe. She could only imagine how wonderful it would feel to be filled with Erik's erect and hard flesh. If she were a braver person she would take advantage of his readiness. Instead she climbed onto the bed to sit beside him. Her bare hip touching Erik's own bared side had her breath hitching in her throat.

Giving in to temptation Christine began to pleasure herself as she held Erik's hardened manhood in her hand. As she manipulated him as well as herself she felt Erik beginning to move. He groaned then mumbled as he tossed his head from side to side. His hips rose to pump against her hand.

Erik felt his head spinning. He felt other sensations as well. He tried to wade through the fog to find some memory of where he was. Moving his hand just a little he felt his bared thigh.

The only explanation his mind could conceive as the truth had him struggling to shake this lethargic feeling that made him feel as weights were laying over him.

By sheer force of will he opened his eyes to slits. Blearily the woman before him wavered in and out of focus. It had to be Katherine but it looked like Christine. No, that could not be right. He would not hurt Katherine that way. He would not take Christine to his bed. Was this even his bed? He could not remember.

"Katherine, oh God Katherine," Erik moaned fearing he had done something unforgivable. When he inhaled it even smelled like Christine's perfume.

Christine jerked her hand away from Erik in mortification. Slipping off the bed, her own unsatisfied pleasure forgotten, Christine looked at Erik feeling her face flush with a mixture of emotions. Humiliation being at the top of the list, Christine could only be grateful no one had been present to witness her humiliation.

When Erik made no further displays of consciousness Christine sighed in relief. Perhaps she should have given him more laudanum.

Glancing at the clock Christine went to the door of her bedroom opening it to its fullest so that when Katherine entered she would not miss Erik and herself in bed together. Surely Katherine would be so hurt and devastated she would not wait around for a confrontation at least that was what Christine counted on occurring.

Now all she had to do was lie and wait for Douglas to escort Katherine to the room then the real opera would begin.

While all of Christine's plans were unfurling Katherine sat in her parlor conversing easily with Brett who had arrived earlier with the intention of trying to convince Katherine to go with him to Erik's as Brett had learned earlier that Marianne had returned from her visit to that ner' do well beau of hers.

"Katherine you must oblige me in this. It would not be proper for me to show up on my own uninvited. Had you not planned on visiting Erik in any case?" Brett asked eagerly.

"You only want to go so that you may see Marianne. Do not even pretend to have a sudden infatuation for Erik. Brett, how many times must I remind you that Marianne is taken?" she asked in exasperation.

"Ah but the man has not roped, tied, nor branded this filly. She is a free range woman in my estimation and I mean to tame her."

"Brett women are not like horses. You cannot own them nor brand them. Well perhaps wearing a man's gift of a ring is in a way a brand but still please refrain from referring to her as a filly. I do not think you would win any favor with her by such words in reference to her."

Katherine marveled to think how quickly she and Brett had become friends. She and Raoul had been much the same when they had first met.

Katherine had planned to visit Erik this evening as he had said he would be late at the opera so would not be able to come out but if she did not mind the drive or having Martin wait for a few hours in his kitchen with Julia and Marianne she would be more than welcome to stop by.

Katherine had just decided to give Brett the answer he wanted when the front doorbell chimed. Shortly after that Amy came in with an envelope.

"This just arrived Miss Katherine by messenger." She held out the envelope to Katherine.

Katherine took the envelope then thanked her. Waiting until Amy had left the room Katherine tore open the envelope to read the message. To say she had been caught by surprise would have been an understatement. To say she had been just a bit wary would have been correct.

"I cannot believe she has the gall to write to me let alone suggest I come visit her so that she may apologize to me in person. That does not sound like Christine at all."

Brett asked in surprise, "You mean Mrs. de Chagny? I thought the two of you had a hate-hate relationship?"

"Well perhaps hate is too strong of a word. Dislike, distrust, resent, wish she were gone living in another country, those terms fit admirably." Katherine handed him the note to read for himself.

Brett having taken the note and perused the contents asked, "So will you go? I will go with you if that will help. I really don't think you should see her alone. I don't know, I could be wrong, but I've had a bad feeling about that woman since I met her."

In actuality Brett had been hearing rumors of clandestine meetings between Christine and Katherine's father and step-mother, Lydia. He himself had seen them having tea as he went to his own table in the dining room. His own suite of rooms were just one floor down from Christine's. Brett had declined Hayden and his mother's invitation to stay with them as Brett kept odd hours at times. Besides he liked to have his freedom to come and go as he wished without feeling obligated to entertain relatives as much as he loved them.

Katherine gratefully accepted Brett's offer to accompany her to the hotel. She did not relish meeting Christine at all but especially not alone.

Katherine took the time to check her hair and smooth out the wrinkles she imagined seeing on her dress. Pinning on her hat she deemed herself ready to face her nemesis.

On the drive into town Katherine teased Brett about his pursuit of Marianne. He in turn teased her about a certain man who claimed her heart.

Entering the lobby Katherine had been taken aback when a young man approached. Since he was wearing a bellboy's uniform she surmised he worked in the hotel.

"Miss Montgomery ma'am I have been instructed to show you directly to Mrs. de Chagny's suite. If you would allow me to escort you please step into the elevator. Watch your step ma'am." Douglas didn't have any beef personally with Miss Montgomery but business was business. He could not afford to pass up any chance to earn some extra cash.

Stopping in front of Christine's door Douglas knocked. Hearing a muffled reply he put his ear to the door as he had rehearsed. Later he could claim misunderstanding what Mrs. de Chagny had said.

Opening the door with a flourish Douglas allowed the other two to precede him into the suite. Katherine's expected gasp had not been long in coming. The door to the hallway stood directly across from the bedroom. That door had been left open so that Katherine would be sure to see Christine sitting up holding a sheet over her bared breasts supposedly in embarrassment and shock. Erik lay prone beside her with a sheet draped across his hips.

Katherine saw Erik move lethargically. He mumbled something unintelligible. In her mind the whole picture blended into a sickening truth. Erik had betrayed her. To betray her with anyone would have hurt but this cruelty had gone far beyond mere hurt. It would have hurt far less if he had stuck a knife into her heart.

Placing a comforting hand across her abdomen Katherine turned to leave feeling as if at any moment she might be ill. Brett's staying hand on her arm kept her from leaving.

With the experienced eye of one who had seen and investigated many crime scenes, Brett looked around with a practiced eye. Everything looked too staged, too pat. The timing had been too coincidental. The number of empty bottles would have killed a normal man if consumed in one sitting. He stopped counting when he had spied the sixth bottle.

Brett looked behind several doors before he found what he had been looking for. Going to the sink he bent down to sniff at the porcelain bowl. He smelled the distinct smell of alcohol, wine, unless he had lost his sense of smell.

He stood up with his hands fisted at his waist. Methodically he sifted through all the information he had stored in his mind as he moved about the room. Things certainly did not add up to a romantic interlude.

Why send a note if you know you will be entertaining your lover later? Of course the possibility that Erik had arrived unexpectedly was a possibility but not likely as he had told Katherine he hoped to see her later that evening. Something was definitely rotten in Denmark and it was not the cheese.

"Katherine, give me a minute please. Something isn't quite right. Wouldn't it be worth a minute to salvage your relationship?"

Katherine's throat had clogged with tears needing to fall so she could only nod her head. She watched as Brett stepped further into the room.

Christine began to scream when Brett came closer to the bedroom door. "Get out. What right do you have to barge in here? I demand you leave. I shall have to call the house security if you do not. You cannot invade my privacy this way."

"Save it girlie for the stage. I am not impressed." Brett looked around the room spying the bottle of pills. He picked up the bottle noting the number of pills the bottle should contain then counting all the pills in the bottle and the ones that had been spilled on the table. The number he counted matched the number on the bottle. He took a step and kicked an empty wine bottle. The number of bottles littering the floor would have killed a man if he drank them all in one sitting which it seemed Christine expected them to believe. Spying the empty glass on the floor Brett picked it up sniffing the inside of the glass. Reaching out he picked up the one that had sat on the table. He sniffed that one as well. Neither one had any odor other than wine.

Using his finger Brett rubbed the tip along the inside wall of the glass gathering the remaining droplets of wine. He raised his finger to his mouth tasting the distinct flavor of laudanum. The glass from the table did not have any laudanum. Things were beginning to add up.

Brett approached the bed much to Christine's chagrin. When she spoke he could hear the fear and panic in her voice. Good. People were likely to let the truth slip out when they were panicking. He had used that tactic with criminals countless times. Let them have enough rope they hung themselves or confessed to every crime since they had been born.

"Sir, I asked you to leave. Can you not see Erik and I wish to be alone?"

Brett ignored her for a moment as he bent to listen to Erik's heartbeat. Steadily he heard each beat pounding out the rhythm of life. Lifting Erik's wrist Brett felt his pulse. A little bit erratic but nothing life threatening Brett concluded. He needed to be sure so he asked the one person who would know, the person that had administered the drug.

"How much Christine?" Brett's voice had lowered to the dangerous slightly threatening tone he used on criminals who were weaker in character than most. Christine he felt could be likened to a frightened kitten. She would spit and hiss in the beginning then curl up in a defensive ball before giving in to his much stronger will.

"I do not know what you are talking about. Douglas please show these people the door since they are so ill-mannered to stay where they are obviously not welcome."

Brett held up a staying hand not even looking to see if Douglas moved or not.

"Come, come Christine. Don't be coy. How much laudanum did you give Erik? Seven is the most one should take and even that only under a doctors care. More than that can be fatal. Do you want to be responsible for his death? Shall we call the authorities to let them investigate this?"

Christine began to panic thinking of half the police force of Richmond storming into her suite examining and touching all her things.

"Two drops. Two drops in the first two glasses then the others were only wine. I would never do anything to hurt Erik."

Brett lifted his brow letting his gaze roam the room then moving from Katherine to Erik his lifted brow indicating his difference of opinion in the matter.

Katherine had turned her back to the scene when Brett went into the bedroom. She could not bare to see Erik and Christine together when both were clearly naked in the bed together. Only Brett's plea to stay had kept her from running from the room. She did not know how much longer she could hold back her tears. She would not cry in front of Christine. At least she could deny her that small victory.

When Katherine heard Christine's confession she whirled around striding angrily toward the bed. Christine backed up against the headboard drawing her knees up to her chest. She looked imploringly toward Brett but she saw no help coming from that quarter. That gentleman seemed to be enjoying her plight far too much if the grin on his face could be used to gauge his mood.

"You…you drugged Erik? You profess that you love him yet you would trick him, drug him perhaps endangering his life. With that kind of love Christine it is better not to be loved at all."

"You stupid, savage whore, Erik will see one day that you are beneath him. When he does he will come back to me crawling on his hands and knees."

Katherine could take no more. Drawing back her hand she smacked Christine on her cheek causing her to reel to the side almost falling from the bed. She smiled viciously to see Christine scrambling to retrieve the sheet that had been dislodged when she received Katherine's blow to her cheek.

"If you call what you did love you are sadly mistaken. What you feel is far too destructive to be equated with love." Angrily Katherine turned from Christine fearing she might do her some real damage if she had to spend one moment longer looking at her face.

"Brett, would you please help me to get Erik out of here?" Katherine wanted Erik where she could keep her eye on him. She did not care what anyone said he would be coming home with her and spending the night in her own bedroom.

"I surely would be obliged to do that Miss Katherine."

Turning to the petrified young man Brett commanded authoritatively, "Go down to the front of the hotel. There is a black carriage waiting there with a man named Martin sitting in the driver's seat. Tell him Miss Katherine has a need for his assistance. Tell him to bring the carriage to the back alley. Ride with him then bring him back here."

Wearing his take no prisoners face Brett threatened Douglas, "Do not even consider leaving the hotel without delivering my message. As a former Pinkerton I can assure you there is no place you could go that I would not find you. If you were to be so foolish as to do so, I can promise you that when I catch you, and I would make no mistake, when I do things will not be pleasant."

Douglas made a hasty retreat. This whole mess had gone far beyond what he had signed on for when he had agreed to help Mrs. de Chagny. Damn he hoped this did not cost him his job.

Once Douglas left them, Brett turned his back instructing Christine to take whatever she needed to dress into the other bedroom. When Christine left, Brett turned to Katherine pointing her in the direction of the sitting room. Collecting Erik's clothing he set about re-clothing him. Brett could almost say with certainty Erik would not appreciate having another man dress him or see anything that should remain private except between lovers. Brett did keep his eyes averted as much as possible. He had no wish for the sight of a naked man to be burned into his mind.

When Douglas had brought Martin back that man cursed fluently making apologies for his crudeness the whole time. Katherine assured him she would curse like a sailor if it would help.

Before they left Brett pulled Douglas to the side warning him that if one word of tonight's debacle reached any other person than the ones who already knew the story he personally would cut off the boys manhood then slap it in his hand. He asked if he understood or did Brett perhaps need to make himself clearer? Douglas had quickly assured him his lips were permanently sealed on the matter then hastily left the room before someone changed their mind about prosecuting.

Martin and Brett carried Erik down the back stairs with Katherine following close behind. It would seem Christine knew better than to show her face once more for she did not come out of the other bedroom while they had still been in her bedroom.

The ride back to Katherine's had been much quieter than the trip into Richmond. Katherine had insisted that Erik be laid on the seat with her so he could be stretched out with his head in her lap. From time to time Katherine caressed his face lovingly searching for any sign of ill effects from the laudanum. Who knew what could happen when the drug mixed with the alcohol hit his system?

They made quick work getting Erik out of the carriage then carrying him inside trying to be as quiet as possible. At this late hour everyone would be in bed.

Katherine staunchly refused to let them take Erik to an empty guest room. She insisted he would be better off in her room.

Martin fetched a nightshirt of his for Erik to wear. Katherine stepped out to the room so that Erik could be undressed and redressed with a modicum of privacy an respectability. Well as much as one can have while two men strip you down to nothing then place a nightshirt over your head that reaches your knees as the man who it had been made for stood about eight inches shorter than the man borrowing the garment.

Brett and Martin tried to keep a dignified front so as not to hurt Katherine's feelings or earning her ire. According to what Brett told Martin, Katherine had been a might protective of Erik.

Once Erik had been settled there had been nothing keeping them in Katherine's room. Martin offered Brett a bed but he refused. He said he had a man he needed to watch. The man had been acting mighty suspicious.

Brett did not want to alarm anyone needlessly but he had seen Jackson Tyler a few times with Lydia and Daniel Montgomery. Those three together could only spell trouble for Katherine and Brett wanted to try to stop anything bad before it happened.

Once the other two had left, Katherine practically shoving them out the door while they protested that it would not be proper for her to spend the night alone with Erik, Katherine sighed, wearily as she leaned heavily against the door. This is not how she envisioned her first night sharing a bedroom with Erik. Katherine had not cared if they had the big wedding or any religious ceremony but she had thought they would be man and wife before taking this step. Katherine knew there was no way in hell she would not be joining Erik in that bed. If he woke and anything happened then it had been written on their life path for it to be so. Nothing would be keeping her from sleeping beside Erik tonight. If all they did was sleep then so be it.

**A/N: Warning for future chapters. For the next few chapters things will be just beginning to get nasty. If any of my readers has any problems with reading about rape or abuse to women please be warned that in the future this story will take a nasty turn before things get better. I just wanted give those of faint heart a warning ahead of time. The it will hit the fan shortly. Get ready for some intense chapters in the future. Hope to still get those encouraging reviews.**


	72. Chapter 71

**A/N: I got some really nice reviews for the last chapter. One really nice one from an annonymous reader. Thanks lots everyone. Here is the next installment. **

**Chapter Seventy-one**

**Consummation**

Katherine had stepped to the bed after she had bathed and changed into her gown. Leaning down to kiss Erik Katherine's nose had been assaulted by the scent of Christine's perfume. No way in hell Katherine decided would she lie down with Erik while he reeked of another woman, especially not Christine.

Leaving Erik lying there with the coverlet thrown to the side with the too short night shirt hiked above his knees, Katherine fetched a large porcelain bowl from the bathroom along with soap, wash rag and a towel.

Setting the bowl on the bedside table Katherine mentally rolled her sleeves up to tackle undressing Erik by herself. Looking at it from all angles it seemed best to roll him to his side. Pulling the hemline of the garment up to his chest she could then work his arm free then repeat the process with the other arm.

Having a plan and implementing that plan were two totally different things. Katherine knew Erik to be a large man but trying to roll him seemed like trying to roll a large log uphill with mules pushing in the opposite direction.

After many curses and sweating until her nightgown stuck to her skin, Katherine had at last removed Erik's nightshirt.

Methodically she began to wash him from head to toe. She emptied and refilled the bowl several times. When she could only smell the sweet scent of her own soap she thought about her own sticky state. Peeling her gown off over her head Katherine returned to the bathroom with the things she used to wash Erik and took another refreshing bath herself.

Deciding she did not want to turn on another lamp so she could dig through her nightwear Katherine crawled into bed with Erik with only flesh to flesh.

Katherine smiled feeling Erik stir against her. Even while washing him he had hardened. At the time she had only been thinking that Christine had seen Erik in this state. She had more than likely even touched him. Before the images of what Christine might have done while Erik had been incapacitated, could take root in her memory, she had forced her mind to halt before the image became clear.

Katherine turned to her side. Reaching out a hand she let it slide in a delicate caress over his chest. Down past his hard stomach, then even further down her hand continued the path to Erik's hardened manhood. She trailed her fingers along his length. She felt the jerking in response under her fingers. She smiled knowing her power over him. It was the same power he had over her.

Rarely did Katherine get to explore at a leisurely pace. When she and Erik were together the man became insatiable. If she were honest with herself that label could be placed on her own doorstep.

Rising up on her elbow Katherine looked down at the sleeping man beside her. Leaning forward she placed her lips on Erik's only with the intention of giving him a good-night kiss. When she felt his mouth move under hers, then his hand against the back of her head pressing her harder against him, Katherine felt startled at first then deepened the kiss.

Erik groaned lifting up to roll over pressing Katherine to her back.

Taking his mouth from her Erik leaned down resting his head on her shoulder a moment to prepare to speak. His mind had been clearing as he felt the warm, wet cloth slide over his body. He had thought it was Katherine but could not at first focus clearly so he had kept his eyes shut and pretended sleep. As he had regained his senses more he had been sure the woman bathing him had been Katherine. That only left him wondering if this had been real or if he were dreaming.

He had inhaled cautiously not wanting the women beside him to know he had been awake and getting clearer in his mind. When he had felt her lips on him the familiarity of them would have told him that Katherine kissed him, not Christine. His senses filled with Katherine's perfume had relieved his mind for a moment.

Just when he thought what he remembered about tonight might have been a dream, an all too vivid memory hit him. He had been in Christine's room. They had been drinking. He tried to remember how much but he could only be sure of that first glass. He could not understand why he could not remember things more clearly.

Just as he thought this his mind clearly showed him Christine touching…well she had been quite improper. How the hell had he gotten from the sitting room and stripped down without even knowing he had done so? God did he drink so much it had weakened him so that he had been willing to betray Katherine?

Katherine raised her head to kiss him but Erik pulled away, rolling to his back Erik covered his eyes with his forearm in shame. He must have been intimate with Christine. She had been naked in that bed as well.

Erik felt the stinging burn of tears gathering in his eyes. That would just be the icing on the cake if he were to show Katherine his weakness in tears. Erik had always been a man who did not have many softer feelings but had always been quick to show hurt, pain and anger in tears.

"Oh God Katherine I am so sorry. I do not know what happened, why I did what I did. I cannot even remember any of it. Rail at me and beat me with your fists. I deserve no less. Since I am here you must know what I did. I think I can remember hearing your voice."

"Please Katherine, please tell me you did not interrupt anything, you did not see me and…I am not worthy to grovel at your feet. It will be no less than I deserve if Matthew kills me in some painfully long drawn out manner."

"I am a bounder, a cheater, a…a…a user of women…" Katherine stopped his denigration of himself by placing her hand gently over his mouth.

"Do not ever say you are not worthy of me. It is I who am not worthy of your love. The first real test of my belief in you and I failed you. I failed us. You did nothing Erik, nothing you need to be ashamed of." Katherine turned so that she could kiss Erik passionately proving that she did not hold him to blame for anything. Later she would tell him everything but for now she only wanted to be with Erik completely.

Katherine kissed Erik deeply, using her hands to caress him. Erik at first did not respond to her as in his mind he had betrayed Katherine. It did not take long for his need of her to overcome his reticence. Taking control Erik gently pushed Katherine so that she lay flat on the mattress.

Once he had Katherine on her back he continued to kiss his way down her body, paying homage to her breasts and each inch of her soft inviting skin. He used his lips, tongue and hands to bring her to the brink of ecstasy. When he would have pleasured her with his mouth as he had done many times before Katherine pushed back on his shoulders whispering in a passion filled voice, "No Erik."

Erik misunderstood her objection. He thought she could not stand for him to touch her in that intimate way thinking about how he might have been with Christine. His thoughts were still not as clear as he would like for them to be.

"I am sorry Katherine. I…I thought you wanted…I am so sorry." When Erik would have rolled back to his side of the bed Katherine grabbed his head between her hands reaching up to kiss Erik in a way that would convince him she wanted him desperately.

"I did not mean I did not want that or that I did want you. What I want is to be with you as a man and woman should be when they make love. I want to be with you Erik, completely claimed by you. I want you to make love to me."

This time when Katherine kissed Erik his response came immediately with the first touch of her lips.

Erik moved so that he lay just slightly across her torso. Her breasts rubbing against his chest hair puckered her nipples while little currents of sensations shot straight to the core of her passion. Katherine felt the coil within her tightening with each added stimulus from Erik.

Gently Erik kneed Katherine's legs apart so that he could settle his hips between her thighs. He felt his manhood swell even more as his flesh came into contact with Katherine's curly mound. He had brought them both to completion in this manner before but this time Katherine wanted all of him. Erik breathed deeply trying to steady his erratically beating heart. He would hurt her he knew, that could not be helped.

"Katherine it will hurt for a little while but I hope the pleasure will come quickly to take away any discomfort. If at any time you want me to stop please tell me. I do not want to do anything that you are not ready for."

Katherine's silent reply was to bring his lips to hers. Their kiss spiraled quickly to fever pitch. Erik moved so his manhood just touched her entrance. His baser instincts were prodding him to just plunge into her seeking his own pleasure but fortunately Erik had learned how to ignore that part of him, so that he could control his actions.

Gritting his teeth so hard his jaw ached Erik began to ease into Katherine's waiting warmth. He felt the tip of him just touching her opening. He paused to give her time to ready herself. Again he felt the urge to plunge deeply into her seeking his own release. He conquered that part of him once more that would have him delving wildly into Katherine.

Katherine for her part felt more than ready to proceed. Where Erik seemed to want to take things slowly she wanted to pull him to her joining them at last in that final intimate moment.

"Katherine, are you ready? I do not think I can hold back much longer. Any more of this and it will be over before we start." He tried to laugh as if it were a joke but in reality he did have that fear that his body would betray him taking pleasure and leaving Katherine with none. He could give her what he had before but that was not what either of them wanted.

Deciding to show him with actions rather than words, Katherine placed her hands on his backside to pull him down as her hips thrust upward. At first it did burn and hurt a little. Once she became used to the feeling of being stretched to the limits she relaxed.

Feeling Katherine surrounding him gave Erik such a feeling of completeness he hesitated moving in fear of losing that feeling. His body had other ideas. Erik began to move within her even before his mind could form the thought.

All the intensity of pleasure Katherine had felt before paled to what she felt at this moment. She felt every fiber of her being come alive. Closer and closer she came to toppling over the edge as Erik moved at first slowly then with more frequent urgent thrusts.

Katherine felt Erik move his hand down toward her mound. She did not want that, not for this first time together. There was no need. She felt ready to catch fire already. Grabbing his hand she said in a breathless whisper, "No, I want only you. I want to reach my fulfillment with only you Erik. Only you."

Katherine could not have said why it seemed so important; she only knew that for her it was so. She began to feel those quakes and quivers heralding the climb to the top then the spiral downward. Gasping and groaning Katherine lifted her hips to meet Erik's downward thrusts. Both of them were groaning and moaning praises and encouragement.

Erik could feel himself tightening ready to spill his seed. From Katherine's response he thought she would be there with him as his climax finally came. With one hard thrust Erik spilled that little bit of his life-force into Katherine's waiting womb. He felt Katherine tighten around him as her own climax shook her body with its intensity.

Erik slumped down just to the side of Katherine even as he continued to move within her. He did not want the feeling to end. Gradually as his mind left the road to pleasure he could think of other things.

"Katherine, I did not hurt you too much did I? I tried not to let my beastly urges overtake me but I could only hold off for so long."

"Oh God Erik I think I touched the stars. I can only say you were incredible. I do not wish to swell your head with praise but I must give credit where credit is due."

Erik could not stave off the pride her words instilled in him. He felt more of a man than he ever had in his life. Katherine had given Erik this pride in himself, this confidence. With her at his side he felt he could conquer anything.

At last having recovered his normal breathing and normal heart beat Erik moved to the side of Katherine. He did not think he could bear not to have some sort of contact with her so he lay on his side with his hand on her stomach. Even now his hand moved in an unconscious caress. Her skin felt incredible under his much rougher palm.

Needing to know Erik asked, "Katherine what happened tonight?" Raising his head searching for a clock in the dim candle light he spied a clock on the bedside table. "Perhaps I should say last night as the bedside clock indicates it is two in the morning. How did I get here?"

"Do you remember anything?"

"I remember I got a note from Christine that worried me. I went to assure myself she had done nothing foolish. When I got there she seemed to have drunk quite a bit of wine. She wanted my forgiveness. I do think she intended to harm herself."

Katherine snorted inelegantly in her disbelief. She held her tongue as she waited for Erik to continue.

"I cannot remember much after that except…well except I do remember waking up and if felt…damn it Katherine I cannot say this to you when you are looking right at me. You say I did not betray you and yet I felt…I know someone touched me intimately." Erik hoped she understood without him having to get overly graphic. He did not want this to come between them ever again so he knew they had to bring everything into the open no matter how embarrassing or painful.

Katherine turned to face Erik so she could look him in the eye when she spoke. "Erik I know what happened; well except for the part that she had touched you. That is easier to accept than what I thought happened before I knew the truth. Speaking of which, you have Brett to thank for bringing the truth to light."

Katherine went on to tell Erik about all that had taken place since she and Brett had entered Christine's room. Erik hated the fact that others had witnessed his moment of disgrace.

It pained him to think that Christine had been willing to do that to him. When he considered his own past with her, Erik could understand that kind of desperation. It did not make it right or acceptable but he could understand it. He knew he would have to have a confrontation with Christine at some point but he would worry about that another time. Right now he would give his full concentration to the woman at his side.

They made love a couple of times before falling asleep in one another's arms just as the sky began to lighten.

The sun's rays shining in Katherine's eyes woke her. She stretched and smiled lazily in her contentment. Last night had been the most beautiful and fulfilling night of her life so far. Katherine could not keep the self-satisfied smile from spreading across her lips.

Judging by the light in the room it was long past the time breakfast would have started being served. Sliding cautiously out of bed Katherine went to bathe then dress for the day.

Once she felt ready to head downstairs she left her room to walk down the hallway to the top of the stairs. Peering down she did not see anyone. As she descended the stairs she contemplated sneaking into the kitchen to make a tray to take upstairs. Deciding that Gamm came and went out of the kitchen as if it had a revolving door, she would face everyone in the dining room. She did not want to hide her new relationship with Erik nor did she want to flaunt it in their faces.

Since they all lived within a stones throw of one another it would be hard to conduct an affair in any sort of secrecy. Since she would proudly claim to the world on the highest rooftop that she and Erik were lovers if need be she saw no since in hiding it from those she considered her family.

Everyone stopped their conversations to wish Katherine a good morning. When she continued on to the sideboard at first they did not comment.

Gamm standing just behind Raoul pouring him a cup of coffee smiled knowingly as well with a hint of disapproval. Katherine blushed. Martin had no doubt filled Gamm in on last night's events. As well as the fact that Katherine and Erik had spent the night together.

Katherine removed the salt, pepper, cream and sugar from a tray. Placing two plates and two coffee cups with saucers on the tray she proceeded to fill the plates. Pouring the cups of coffee she used cream and sugar as she knew Erik liked.

Raoul hid his own face in his coffee cup. He himself had seen Katherine last night with Erik. Late last night Raoul, whose room was located just at the top of the stairs, had heard a commotion. Nothing earth shatteringly loud, just a minor disturbance. He had gone to investigate. When he had looked down he had seen Erik being supported between Martin and Brett. When he heard the whispered conversation he had felt that his offer of assistance would not be appreciated by Erik later. He had returned to his own bed to mind his own business. He might have gone ahead and made the offer of assisting last night if he had known of Christine's involvement.

Fawn and Dove had been awake when they had heard a carriage returning. Since they knew Katherine had gone with Brett to town they thought Katherine had been on her way to visit Erik. When they had seen Brett hand Erik out to Martin then jump down to assist Katherine down, they had been confused to see the man Martin supported had been Erik. Once Katherine had been safely standing on her feet, Brett had joined the struggling Martin to help hold Erik upright.

Through the open window they had heard Katherine instruct them to take Erik to her room. The resulting argument they did not hear as by that time the foursome had entered Katherine's home and closed the door leaving Fawn and Dove to speculate on the events before and after. Looking into Katherine's flushed face they could guess the _**after**_ quite easily.

Katherine should have known Matthew would not let her actions go without inquiries.

"Why did you not come down at your usual time for breakfast? You are not ill are you?" Just then he noticed the tray with breakfast and coffee for two. Matthews mind began to process all this information and form conclusions he did not like.

Just then they heard the delighted squeals of Quanah, "Shitaá me shitaa. Me play. Shitaá and me play."

It would seem Quanah had escaped from the schoolroom where Amy had been teaching Quanah to write every morning.

Angrily shoving back his chair which toppled heedlessly to the floor, Matthew shouted, "That son of a bitch. I will kill him. I will tear his heart out. That fucking bastard slept with Katherine. He defiled her. I warned him."

Fawn wanting to defuse Matthew's temper spoke up sternly, "Matthew that is enough. Do not forget there is a small impressionable child who may hear you."

In a quieter voice but no less dangerous tone Matthew spoke, "Erik has dishonored her. It is my duty to uphold her honor."

Fawn tried to reason with Matthew as she asked, "Is what he did to Katherine any different from what you yourself have done with many maidens in the bushes? Did you love every one, did you promise to be faithful to any one of them? At least Erik has professed his love and Katherine returns it. It is her decision to make Matthew."

Matthew knowing the truth of her words did not have to like them. When his anger seemed about to overcome his good sense he stormed out to the dining room. The loud crashing of the door caused them all to jump.

Glancing at Fawn in gratitude Katherine mouthed a silent thank you. Fawn would be asking Katherine for support if and when the time came she and Raoul consummated their relationship in that final intimate act. Fawn could feel a certain amount of pity for Matthew as he had three women who he held himself accountable for.

Katherine knew a confrontation between Matthew and Erik could not be put off for long but not yet. Not before she spoke to Erik again. What had happened last night was still too new to share with anyone or discuss. For a little while longer she wanted it to be just her and Erik.

When she left the room Katherine left behind much speculation as well support from her family. The women understood giving in to passion. Women were the ones to bear all the hypocrisy from pious, tambourine clanging, preaching hypocrites that would look down their noses at a woman for giving in while they kept some woman hidden in the background for less than puritanical reasons. Since a woman had to bear the burden of the sin should she not have the choice of who and when she sinned with?

Gamm had stood back and watched events unfold. She had seen this day coming for quite some time. Miss Katherine and Erik thinking all that sneaking about would go unnoticed.

Quanah had been a fount of information. Although she had not told Gamm anything she did not already know. She herself had seen Erik sneaking up the stairs to the balcony on many nights when she could not sleep and made herself a cup of tea. Gamm was not so old she could not remember what it had been like to have the hot blood of lust coursing through one's veins.

Gamm had held her tongue only because she knew Erik and Katherine loved one another so fiercely. She smiled just imagining what their children would be like. They'd set the world on fire for sure.

**A/N: Well it would seem Erik must face the music soon. Hope everyone enjoyed this. Please as always I encourage you to review. Even if you have me favorited I still like to see my numbers grow. **


	73. Chapter 72

**Chapter Seventy-two**

**Honor Bound**

Katherine had excused herself to head back to her room and Erik. She returned to her bedroom to be greeted by a very humorous sight.

Amy was down on her hands and knees with her rear-end sticking in the air. The upper portion of her body lay hidden under Katherine's bed where she had been trying to coax Quanah out. As Amy had crawled under the side Quanah had crawled her way to the end of the bed. That little imp giggled gleefully as Amy breathlessly admonished her for causing her so much trouble.

Erik sat leaning against the headboard with a sheet pulled up under his chin looking like a shy maiden. His consternation over being invaded by two females without warning had left him in such a shock he did not even notice the absence of his mask. That lock of hair that persisted in falling over his forehead hid much of the deformity over his right eye. With so much else to peruse that was quite enticing who would notice a small portion of his face? Katherine had to drag her own eyes back up to his face but even their her gaze became distracted by his wonderfully seductive green eyes.

Quanah who had crawled to the end of the bed squealed once again having caught sight of Katherine. She began to wiggle out from under the bed.

Amy lifted the bed skirt and looked back over her shoulder chagrined to be found crawling around on all fours. Turning back under to grasp the little foot thrashing about in her face she mumbled, "I am so sorry Miss Katherine. I told Quanah Mr. Fontaine wouldn't be in your room but she insisted you and he were both here. Before I could stop her she ran in here and I came in right behind her. Mr. Fontaine was…well he…" At this point Amy thought it best to change direction of her explanation, "Well, so anyway, Quanah dashed out before I could stop her. I swear that child has wings on her feet."

"Shimaa me play. You play. Shitaá play. Shitaá stay all night this time. Shitaá stay now always?" She spoke the last two words quickly in her own language as she felt her little ankle grabbed by Amy.

Katherine shook her head at Quanah telling her in Apache that she would see her later and they would speak then. It would seem Quanah had many questions for her shimaa. How in the world had Quanah known about Erik staying the night before? She had asked if this time he would be staying for always. Katherine surmised Quanah had taken a few nightly strolls when Erik had snuck into her room. She should have known Quanah might do that as she had done the same thing at Coralee's home while Katherine had convalesced.

Amy pulled Quanah out from under the bed. Smiling at everyone broadly Quanah knew the game was over. Running to the side of the bed she crooked her finger at Erik who bent down as if that finger had a string pulling him toward her. Once he had bent down within her reach Quanah placed a sweet, wet kiss on his cheek.

Running back to Amy, Quanah let Amy guide her from the room as Amy apologized profusely for the intrusion. She may be sorry but she did not turn her back as she exited the room. She wanted to enjoy every second of that marvelous display of manliness. Amy backed out hitting the wall beside the door then managing to find her way out.

Once Amy stood in the hall Katherine winked conspiratorially at her just before she used her foot to shut the door on Amy who nearly fell sideways trying to get her last sight of Erik's chest. Who could blame a woman for admiring such a perfect example of masculinity?

Katherine took the tray to the bedside table. Erik only waited for her to set it down before he snagged her around the waist to pull her down across his lap so he could kiss her senseless.

When both of them were panting as if they had run a foot race, Erik released her lips so they might catch their breath.

"So it was not a dream. I am really here. I thought I had dreamed last night then Quanah and Amy barged in while my assets were on display. We really do need to begin to teach Quanah the proper etiquette for entering the private sanctum of a person's bedroom."

"Oh we have much more than that to explain to her. She knows you come during the night sometimes to visit me. She thought that since you were here in my bed during daylight hours that meant you would be here permanently."

"Katherine you know I love you and want us to be together. I have never asked as the time never seemed right but would you…." Katherine placed her fingers over Erik's lips to stop the flow of his words. She did not want him to ask her that question yet. Not that her answer would be anything other than yes, but she felt Erik should speak with Matthew first out of respect.

Erik panicked for a moment thinking she would refuse him altogether. He should not doubted her but he still had a hard time believing she really wanted him even after all the times she had shown him in so many ways that she did indeed want and desire him. Katherine it would seem was not the only doubting Thomas.

"Do not ask me yet. Speak with Matthew and if you survive come to me and ask your question then. Matthew feels he should have done more to keep me virtuous. As if I would have listened to him where you are concerned." Leaning forward Katherine kissed Erik again proving everything had indeed been real and not a dream.

Katherine had eventually managed to shoo him into the bathroom. By the time he had come out Katherine had been gone and a pile of clothing sat on the chair by the bathroom door. With gratitude he recognized his own clothing.

He could chuckle now when he recalled young Amy's shock upon chasing Quanah into Katherine's room. She had not expected to find a man in there let alone a naked man.

Erik could not say for sure who had been the most shocked or embarrassed, him or Amy. He remembered he had recovered much quicker as he had grabbed the sheet to toss across his erect manhood. He had been anticipating Katherine's return, not Quanah and her nursemaid.

Instead of turning away that little chit had stared, taking in all that had been on display. Since Erik had been without one stitch of clothing there had been plenty to see.

Erik could be appreciative of the fact that Katherine had found humor in the situation. Many women in her place would have been angry and denigrated the poor girl. His Katherine had been cut from a finer clothe than that.

Erik considered that with the things that had happened last night perhaps Katherine would need her forgiving fortitude many more times in their lives. Not that he planned on doing anything that would cause her concern but with the past as a guide he felt it would be safe to say he would fall afoul in some manner needing Katherine's forgiving nature to save him.

He wondered if he had Brett Bartlett to thank for bringing him his own clothing. It seemed likely. Damn, Erik had been all set to dislike the man. Now Erik would have to adjust his attitude toward Brett.

After what he had done for Erik it did not seem right to continue to dislike him. He would never like Brett's close relationship with Katherine just as he did not like Raoul's relationship with her. He could tolerate both men for Katherine.

Having dressed Erik went in search of Katherine. He found her sitting at the bottom of the stairs. For a moment he wondered if she had thought he might sneak out without speaking to Matthew. Of course that had been on his mind but since Katherine had decided to block his passage they would never know for sure. Erik would not have avoided the issue permanently in any case. He would have faced Matthew in time. He thought it would be better if they held the conversation at a time when the picture of Erik and Katherine together would not be so fresh on Matthew's mind.

Erik sat down beside Katherine looking at the front door as if it were the door to doomsday. Not that he looked upon asking for Katherine's hand as anything close to compared to that event but he would rather do almost anything than face Matthew with him knowing that Erik had been intimate with Katherine.

"So, any suggestions what I should say so that we may avoid bloodshed? I would not want to die or have to kill your brother in defense just when you and I have finally committed completely to one another."

"Oh no, Mr. Erik Fontaine. There is still the matter of Matthew's approval and then you must ask me properly. Everything thus far in our relationship has in no way been conventional. I would at least want this one thing to follow tradition. A woman after all will not get this opportunity again if she is lucky to choose wisely the first time."

"And you consider me, who I have been and who I am now a wise choice?" Erik teased but still could not keep the incredulous disbelief totally from entering into his tone.

"Erik I did not have a choice if I want my soul to be complete. Who wants to walk around with only half a soul?"

Erik drew her to him for one last hard kiss before letting her go to ask where he might find Matthew.

Smiling encouragingly Katherine had pointed him toward the stables. She had warned him he might have to defend himself. Erik had scoffed, "What else is new?"

Once Erik stepped out into the morning sunlight he felt the breeze on his bared face. Damn it he had forgotten his mask. He could count on his one hand the number of times he had forgotten to place his mask on his face when he would be encountering anyone. Hell he even wore it when no one would be seeing him other than himself. Over the years the mask had just become another part of him. The mask had become a much despised part but still a piece of the puzzle that made him who he was.

Debating whether or not he should go back in to fetch the damn thing, Erik stood with his hand on the door knob. Finally he said a mental "fuck it" as he let go of the knob to make his way down the front steps.

He held himself erect and proud. It did not matter what others thought of him as long as Katherine and Quanah accepted him that would be enough for him. Not that he would be walking around without his mask or anything but if he did find the courage to do so he need not be concerned about what others thought.

He did not think he was ready just yet to take that step with all humanity. He would begin with Matthew and work his way to the rest of the world.

Matthew might as well see him now in all his glory because the odds were stacked against Erik when it came to keeping his face a secret from those close to him. All it would take would be Quanah playing with him and accidentally or purposely removing the mask. As incredible as it may seem she did not differentiate between the normal side of his face and the malformed side. To her he was now and would always be her shitaá.

He could not doubt that Katherine felt the same as she had kissed him and fondled his face enough times that he had lost count of how many caresses she had given him or how many times she had placed her tender lips on both sides of his face. With Quanah and Katherine he need not ever concern himself about whether he had his mask or not. They accepted him either way but both his women had made it abundantly clear that they preferred real skin to either his porcelain mask or the leather. Even his cloth mask had been dismissed as unnecessary.

With thoughts of Katherine and Quanah to support and encourage him, Erik headed to the stables.

Erik felt as if he were a soldier headed into battle. He could only hope this would be a bloodless battle.

**A/N: So what did you think?**


	74. Chapter 73

**A/N: In celebration for my 300th review I am posting another chapter. I will be leaving Friday morning for the holiday and won't have access to the internet so I may not post another chapter until I get back on Tuesday if I don't return too late. Enjoy this one though and blow your party horns. 300 yea. 300. Gerry Butler in a codpiece. Now that is something to celebrate. I tried all day to dedicate this to JackieLu as she was my 300th reviewer but the board was down all day. So here it is a little late. **

**Chapter Seventy-three**

**Bravely Face the Brave**

Using all his skills Erik crept into the stables staying to the side where the light from the open door did not reveal his presence. He wanted to observe Matthew to try to gauge his mood.

When he could at last see Matthew he stopped to quietly observe Matthew punching a sack filled with some sort of grain.

From the solid punches Matthew threw into the swinging sack his mood seemed somewhat hostile. The force of the blows had the sack swinging to and fro.

Erik could not for the life of him think of one word that seemed appropriate. He had never been in this situation before and truth be told he thought this day would never come so he had not rehearsed or thought about what he should say to impress the man who would be the guardian of whoever he had the good fortune to convince he was a worthy suitor. He had thought after the debacle with Christine he would end his days alone and unloved.

He moved slightly making no sound but Matthew must have either heard him or sensed him because he addressed Erik in a voice that did hold an ounce of welcome in it. Erik did hear clearly the challenge against his manhood and Matthew's offer to prove his worthiness to be called a man.

"Are you going to stand there all day or will you come in and face me like a man," Matthews voice suddenly breaking Erik's focus away from the pounding that innocent bag had been subjected to by Matthew.

"Shit. How do you do that? This is the second time you have caught me by surprise." Erik really needed to brush up on his skills. Even Amy and Quanah had caught him with his pants down quite literally. Quanah had even observed him while he slept and removed his mask and replaced it. Had he lost his edge with his contenment growing? Did one replace the other?

Matthew stopped the swinging of the bag by wrapping his arms around it. He leaned his body into the solidness of it as he considered what he should say and do. He did not want to do anything permanent to Erik. Hell he liked the man. As Katherine's male guardian he had to defend her honor from all comers. He would defend her against all foes and wouldbe swain. He did not need to take the extreme measure of death but he must let Erik know he had best have matrimony in mind.

Erik had decided to offer Matthew that one punch to satisfy the male need for posturing. He deserved that much for taking Katherine to his bed. Thinking upon the situation Erik could argue the fact that Katherine had taken him to her bed without his consent, or at least in the beginning without his consent. Erik did not dwell in the dark insanity so he did not say what he thought and point out Katherine's culpability in this situation.

"In order to save time and quite a bit of pain on both our parts I have an offer for you. I will let you hit me one time unchecked. After that I think we should calmly carry on a conversation. I hope you will have considered honor served by that one act of violence alone."

Before Erik could brace himself or have time to reconsider if he had wanted to, Matthew took the two steps toward him then hit Erik solidly on the jaw with one very satisfying crack against Erik's firm jaw. Erik stumbled backward falling to his back. He would swear he saw stars. He grasped his jaw between his thumb and fingers moving it from side to side experimentally. Providence alone had kept Matthew from breaking his jaw.

"Fuck Matthew, could you have not given me some warning? You nearly took my head off." Erik leaned back on his elbows to address Matthew while looking him directly in the eye. If he had some warning of the shot Erik could have braced himself more and Matthew's punch would have had less affect on him.

"So now will you listen to me without trying to kill me?" Erik dropped his hand quickly when he saw the gloating pleasure in Matthew's eye.

"Well I did not really want to do any real damage. Katherine is my sister, if not by blood then in every other way. You have Fawn to thank for the fact that you still are wearing your hair."

"Erik I will try to make you understand how I feel. I have been with women intimately ever since I was a young buck. Obviously I have never committed to any of them or loved them. I am a man and I have my needs as any other man does. Now, picture little Quanah about fifteen years from now being invited to walk alone with a young man. It could even be sooner. He might ask her to dine in his home where they will be alone. Imagine what you and Katherine do when you are alone. How will you feel? How will you react when it is Quanah? It is always different when it is someone else's sister or daughter."

"No fucking way will that happen. Quanah will be going to college. She will not have time to think of boys. Besides I would cut the balls off of any man who tried to play fast and loose with Quanah."

Matthew chuckled as he held out his hand to offer to Erik. Erik looked at his hand suspiciously. Shaking his hand in front of Erik Matthew said, "Come on take it. I am over my anger. With you at least. I dare say that Raoul and Darius are in for their own squaring off with me."

Erik smiled wickedly imagining Matthew cutting off some of Raoul's hair as he screamed in fear. He could not keep the anticipation from entering his voice as he asked, "Will you inform me when you meet with de Chagny? I would enjoy seeing him beaten just a little. Katherine has forbidden me from being anything other than gentlemanly with him."

Matthew pulled Erik to his feet once Erik had been convinced he would not be blindsiding him again with his fist. Erik refused to touch his aching jaw again. He had given Matthew all the concessions he thought appropriate.

Matthew turned from Erik bringing his hand to the front of him so he could cradle it in his palm. Damn it felt as if he had hit a rock. He could truthfully say he would not relish being any man who had to face Erik in the ring. It had been a while since Erik had a match but that had not affected his ability to take a punch. Matthew had hit Erik with all he had. Erik acted as if he had just given him a love tap other than that one remark about nearly taking his head off. Matthew had to be satisfied with that.

Erik told Matthew his intentiosns toward Katherine. He also expressed as best he could why he had not proposed sooner. It was not because he did not want Katherine with him. The fact of the matter was that Erik was frightened to make that last commitment. Not because he did not think Katherine would accept him but in fear that something would happen. Fate had not shown Erik any concessions in his past. Every scrap of happiness had been a battle to obtain and keep.

At last they had come to an understanding. Erik would be making a proposal as soon as he could find an appropriate time. One not shadowed by any threat or drama. He wanted to be romantic and persuasive. Well he suppose he had already gone through the persuasion part of their relationship. Now he had to go through the convincing part. He had to lay all he had at Katherine's feet as an offering.

Matthew and Erik shook hands then set to discussing how they might bring down Jackson Tyler. Ox had been tailing the man and had reported that Brett had as well.

Matthew told Erik that he had an odd feeling about the man. He knew him from the camps but that was not what set his skin to crawling. Erik told Matthew he had that same prickling whenever he saw or thought of the man. They commiserated but knew they could only wait and try to be prepared.

They neither one realized the extent that Jackson was willing to go to get what he wanted. In that respect he and the Phantom would have compared equally.

Darius of his own volition had gone to Matthew to ask for Dove's hand. He had assured him there was no reason for concerns about anything inappropriate having been perpetrated by them beyond a certain point. Darius assured Matthew that he had the deepest regards and respect for Dove.

He knew Dove to be a shy and quiet woman. Darius had not confessed anything nor denied anything specific. He had left to conjecture whether or not he and Dove had gone beyond what would be respectable according to society or an overprotective brother. All that concerned Darius at this moment was whether or not Matthew would give his blessing or not. Darius had already made his mind up that come hell or high water he and Dove were going to marry. If Matthew agreed it simply made family relationships more amenable.

Matthew sighed in relief that he had not had to call Darius on unseemly behavior concerning Dove. He shuddered to think what Darius would do to him if challenged. Quanah had been correct when she called him Tall Tree. The man was built like a tree trunk. Matthew surmised one good hit from one hand of Darius would put anyone to sleep for a week.

Matthew had welcomed Darius into the family with much back slapping and hand shaking. Now all he needed to do would be to decide when he would take Raoul aside and ask him what his intentions were. Matthew knew of course but he relished the thought of making that French aristocrat squirm just a little. He liked Raoul but that was not reason enough to forgo a little fun.

He'd wait just a little to see how things went. Matthew had his own romance to worry about. Emily did not have a father but she did have a formidable woman for a mother who made her likes and dislikes known. Her brother seemed easier to deal with.

Proposals and weddings were in the future if fate did not step in putting dangerous obstacles in everyone's way.


	75. Chapter 74

**A/N: Reviews were down last chapter. Hope the snafoo didn't keep some of you from coming back to leave a review. Timeflies said she left one but it didn't show. Being kind she went back to give me my review. Thanks for the loyalty Timeflies. **

**Chapter Seventy-four**

**Deal Sealed in Blood**

Waking up the next morning after having fallen asleep, or rather having passed out on the settee Christine squinted blearily in the sunlight streaming through the opened draperies. Placing her arm across her eyes she wished she had drawn the drapes last night. Recalling most of what happened last night before and after her disgrace Christine imagined she should be grateful to still have breath in her body. She had drank far too much and might have slipped just a drop or two of the laudenam in her brandy. She could not remember for certain but did remember thinking of ending it all with a few innocent looking drops of that liquid death.

Noting each and every ache along with the drumbeat in her head she wished she had been able to make it to her bed alhough that may not have helped in the slightest.

Christine rolled to her side groaning as nausea hit her suddenly. She swallowed desperately trying to fend off the inevitable. Slowly she sat up hoping she could make it to the bathroom before she lost whatever vile stuff inhabited her stomach.

Noting the many wine bottles her memory flooded back to her with painful clarity again. She had actually gone through with it. She had lured Erik here and drugged him as well as gotten him to swallow a good amount of alcohol.

When she thought of that man Brett witnessing her humiliation she nearly collapsed back onto the settee in a miserable heap. The only thing that kept her from flopping back down was the hammering in her head.

Once everyone had left last night Christine had dug out the bottle of brandy from the liquor cabinet. All the wine she had stupidly poured down the bathroom drain. She could not clearly remember drinking the liquor but she must have as her head felt as if it would float away at any moment which Christine thought might be a blessing since she could feel a constant pounding in her head. Each heartbeat seemed to echo a beat in her head. Christine got to her feet then wobbled into the bathroom. She dropped thankfully down to her knees in front of the toilet.

Having relieved her stomach Christine set about taking a bath and dressing trying to ignore the brass band clanging away in her head. If she closed her eyes and put cotton in her ears the hammering only sounded as if one drum were beating instead of the whole drum section.

After finally dressing and drying her hair by the fireplace she felt ready to begin formulating her next last ditch effort to win Erik.

She pulled out the card from the desk drawer with the address Daniel had given her. He had told her to send word to this address when she had decided to join them. She then should wait for further instructions.

After ringing for Douglas she waited for his arrival. Christine paced about nervously wringing her hands. She really did not want to throw in her lot with Jackson Tyler. She had no choice. This would be her last chance to make a play for Erik.

When Douglas arrived she quickly instructed him to deliver her note to the address on the envelope. Christine felt to give herself too much time to think would give her the time for her cowardly instincts to take over. Now was the time to go bravely forward.

Now all she had to do was wait until she received her reply. What seemed only a few short minutes but in reality had been a couple of hours, Douglas returned with a note for her. Giving Douglas his expected tip Christine closed the door. Leaning back heavily against the door she pressed the envelope to her chest with both hands.

Pushing herself away from the door she walked with leaden feet to the settee. Sitting down she reluctantly tore open the envelope. Reading the short terse note she sighed. Once she took this step would Mr. Tyler let her change her mind without repercussions? Daniel had hinted that once you made an agreement with that man only death would be your pardon from your obligation. She hoped he had been exaggerating trying to frighten her.

Christine took a cab as instructed. Through the windows she could see the nicer areas slowly give way to the business district. Small facrtories as well as warehouses lined the streets. The cab stopped within a block of where she needed to be as the note instructed.

Paying the driver she assured him that yes this address had been the correct one. This was where she needed to be. Lifting her skirts Christine began to head toward the warehouse district. She took careful steps so as not to trip and injuring herself in this God awful section of the city.

Looking down at the address on the paper in her hand Christine looked for building 32A. Finally spotting the building between two other tall buildings Christine picked her way carefully over debris laying about as well as stepping over the train tracks.

Between the buildings she could see men loading and unloading freight onto flat boats in the river. At least now she did not feel so alone. Not that anyone would hear her if she screamed.

The main sliding door from which freight would be loaded and unloaded had been pushed to the side about a foot or so. Christine gathered her courage and entered the dark building. The only light came from the open door. The further away she went from the door the darker it became.

Clutching her handbag between her hands Christine had just made up her mind to turn tail and run when a voice boomed out with a sense of déjà vu. That deep, dark voice reminded her so much of Erik. The deep melodious tenor could easily mesmerize a person, especially a woman, just as Erik's had and still did.

"Madame de Chagny I am so pleased to welcome you. I must admit though that I did expect your note after the debacle last night."

"Last night? I do not know what you mean," Christine bluffed.

"Come, come Christine, I may call you Christine as we will be working so closely together may I not?"

At her nod of agreement, although in the dark he could not possibly see, he continued, "As I was saying, no need to deny anything. I have eyes and ears everywhere. I could tell you what you ate for breakfast this morning or even yesterday. Oh pardon me Madame you were far too ill this morning to eat. Feeling better now Madame? As I told you I soon learn about everything. Keep that in mind my dear should you decide to cross me."

"But I am not sure I want to conspire with you," Christine protested weakly.

"My dear once you stepped foot inside that door you lost the option to change your mind. Let me make it perfectly clear everyone is expendable. If I have no need for your assistance you are useless to me and therefore expendable."

Christine had visions of him tying her feet and hands together then dropping her into the river just a few hundred yards behind the building. No one knew where she was. Not even Douglas could say who she met or where she went. The cab driver if someone were lucky enough to find him would only be able to say he had dropped a woman off a few blocks from here.

"Now please step forward toward the table. I have had tea set out for us." Christine could not help but note that his voice sounded cordial as if they were old friends. She must not fall under his spell as she had Erik's. This man cared not one whit for her unlike Erik had long ago.

There was the sound of chains rattling then the sound of a wench screeching as a lamp lowered toward the table. When it had dropped to within four feet of the top of the table it suddenly stopped.

Sitting down she laid her bag on the table then began to pour tea in the cup opposite her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a man suddenly appeared. He sat down with a graceful flourish of his black cape. Once more he reminded her so much of Erik. Getting a better look at him once he sat down, Christine could not help but compare him to Erik.

He had that same charismatic aura about him. His black hair and green eyes resembled Erik to such a degree that Christine shivered. His stature resembled Erik's as well. If Christine did not know that Erik had no family she would be tempted to think this man and Erik were related in some way.

"Now Christine let us get down to business. You want Erik and I want Katherine. Ours is a partnership made in heaven."

"I have already put certain things in motion that will make everything easier down the road. All I need for you to do is wait for my instructions."

Christine could only nod her head dumbly in response. There was a coldness just underneath the man's eyes and voice that had never been present when Erik spoke to her. Erik had often spoken to her in anger but never with this glacial undertone. Christine found herself thinking the man had only a superficial resemblance to Erik.

"See how easy that was my dear? Not painful at all. Now I must address a serious breech of my trust in you so we may assure that it does not happen again. Last nights little opera that took place in your room displeased me. Not because I disprove of your method but it did upset Katherine and humiliated her. I will not have her upset like that again do you understand?"

Christine could only nod once again as once more his voice resembled Erik's from all those years ago when he would hiss in anger at her when she had been with Raoul or spoke to some other male performer longer than Erik thought she should.

"Speak up woman. I will not have you shaking your head about like a rag doll. You have a voice, use it." His sudden barking command had made Christine jump in her chair setting the things on the table to rattling. His sinister laugh did nothing to settle her nerves. Christine jumped again when Jackson slammed his hands down on the table in anger.

"Speak woman," Jackson commanded.

"Yes...yes I understand," Christine whispered fearfully. Her voice had all but deserted her.

"Now my dear since you do not seem inclined to drink your tea perhaps we should end this little tête-à-tête. I shall send you instructions when you need to know what to do."

He stood towering over her just as Erik had when he wanted her to feel his power over her. She trembled half in fear and half because she could not deny his dark attraction.

"Remember what I said Christine. Do no more to cause Katherine any upset. Also remember I have eyes and ears everywhere. I shall be watching you. Might I suggest you go to rehearsals then spend your evenings in your rooms? The less you are seen the better I think."

"I have taken the liberty of hiring a cab that will take you halfway then you will find another cab waiting. This one will take you to your hotel. You may wonder why all the cloak and dagger. I certainly cannot have some cabbie touting it about that he picked you up at your hotel then brought you here or picked you up from here then took you home. No, that would not do at all."

Jackson could hardly refrain from shoving the woman out the door. He had so much to think about. Being a gentleman he escorted Christine just outside the door. Preparing to leave her he begged her pardon for not escorting her to the carriage but secrecy had to be preserved.

Once Jackson returned he sat at the table sipping tea as he thought over his plan.

His poor cousin would not see him coming. He would not know what hit him until it was far too late.

Jackson let his mind drift back to when he and his cousin were younger. The day his aunt had brought him home he remembered well for his grandfather had called the boy a monstrosity, a crime against the natural order of things. He had even intimated that she should have killed the child as soon as he left her womb. He had admonished her for going to such a hedonistic society to live. He had told her nothing good would come of it and he had been proved correct. She had been stuck with an abomination. The boy was a crime against nature.

His grandfather had let them stay only because he felt duty bound and she had been his only daughter. Jackson had not minded how the boy looked at all. He had been so desperate to have someone to play with he would have welcomed Satan himself if he had come offering to play.

After the boy had run away, his grandfather had a change of heart. He begged his daughter to tell him where the boy might have gone. She had refused. She feared her father could change his mind just as quickly against her son as he had changed it to accept him.

His grandfather had searched to no avail. Becoming ill he knew his time to make amends grew short. In one last grand effort to win forgiveness he had left the bulk of his estate to his daughter and set up a trust in his cousin's name.

On one of Jackson's visits his grandfather had summoned Jackson to his study. His gramdfather had ordered Jackson to sit in the chair in front of the desk as if he were some business associate instead of a supposedly well loved grandson.

His grandfather had told him about the change in his will and the reason for it. His grandfather had gone on to explain that since his son had already taken the bulk of his inheritance to invest in a business he had wanted to build from scratch the remainder would go to his daughter and his other grandson.

Jackson's grandfather had told him as his father would leave Jackson his own wealth Jackson would have no need for more.

Jackson had sat in stoic acceptance pretending that rage had not been building up at this treacherous betrayal. His grandfather had promised him that he, Jackson son of his son, would inherit the ancestral home. He had been earmarked certain companies for Jackson to inherit and groomed Jackson to take over the family fortune. At the age of fifteen he had learned it had all been a lie. A sham.

There had been nothing for Jackson to do but hate his absent cousin. A year passed and his grandfather finally passed away. The house had been closed until such time as his aunt returned.

When Jackson's father died leaving nothing but a mountain of bills Jackson had become embittered that his cousin, who had left them, turned his back on his family, would inherit what had been promised to Jackson by his grandfather long before Jackson's cousin came into the picture. Daily creditors came to collect what was owed. Jackson had explained that there had been nothing left. His father had mortgaged everything he could.

When they began pressuring him to sell the only asset left Jackson had been infuriated that they would have him sell the place where he had been born. The place his mother had been laid to rest could be seen from the study window. Fate had decreed he would not have neither the ancestral home nor the one his father had built for his mother as a wedding present.

Deciding if he had to lose his home he would make the loss be in such a way that he chose.

When the beggar had come to the door asking for a handout an idea had suddenly begun to form in Jackson's mind. He had brought the man into the house checking his impulse to shudder in disgust at the man's unclean state.

The servants had left as soon as they learned they would not be getting their wages or anything left to them in the will for all their years of service. Jackson had scoffed that loyalty only lasted as long as money jingled in the purse.

Giving the man the last of the roast Jackson had purchased in town, they had sat discussing nothing in particular. Jackson kept refilling the man's glass. Just before bringing it out Jackson had added just a bit of arsenic. The gardener used it for the rodents in the garden shed and in the kitchen pantries.

Jackson felt he should have been feeling some sort of regret for taking the man's life but he could only find justification in his heart.

Once the man had taken his last breath Jackson had dressed the beggar in one of his own suits. Jackson had placed his ring on the man's right hand just as he wore it himself. The initial J had been engraved then diamonds had formed the letter. A unique ring like that everyone would recognize. For a moment he felt regret at the loss of the ring. His grandfather had given it to him when he had passed his exams with high marks. He wanted nothing that would remind him of his past once he had left.

Jackson had struck a match then left his home to burn to the ground. He had stood just at the fringe of the woods watching until it had fallen down into a heap of burning rubble.

Jackson had left that night changing his name. He had left a murderer at the age of fifteen.

Through the years Jackson had learned how to manipulate others. He used their weaknesses against them. He listened and observed. When he saw a transgression being committed he filed it away until he needed a favor or his funds ran low.

Eventually Jackson had built a massive fortune using knowledge he gained behind the scenes of commerce. He began to build his network of spies. Jackson had people everywhere, in every walk of life that did his bidding either for profit or protection from exposure of some transgression.

Jackson wanted Katherine and she would be his. Jackson was confident of his success. His cousin had already seen him and not known him. Jackson relished the anticipation of the moment he revealed himself. Of course he would reveal who he was to Katherine first as they would be man and wife. Jackson smiled with sinister delight. Look out cousin I am coming for you.

**A/N: Okey dokey, are you sitting on the edge of your seat? Leave me a review to let me know if the suspense is building enough so you can't wait for the next chapter.**


	76. Chapter 75

**A/N: I believe that the problem with fanfic caused my reviews to be low the last couple of chapters since I posted them so close together. I hope I get the reviews for this one that I didn't get for the last one. Since this chapter doesn't have much Erik and Katherine I might post another chapter later tonight if I get enough reviews. This chapter doesn't move the plot along it is just for the relationship between Brett and Marianne to change and grow. **

**Chapter Seventy-five**

**Brett Bartlett's Courtship**

Just a few days later Katherine sat in her parlor smiling indulgently at Brett. Brett had stopped by to sweet talk Katherine into going with him to the office so that he might see that sweet young Marianne.

Brett had expressed his interest in Marianne a number of times to Katherine. She had told him that Marianne had a young man back east somewhere.

"Did the lady have a ring declaring the gentleman's intentions? Indeed she did not," he stated calmly and with great conviction. If a man were serious about a woman he would not let her traipse all over the country without the benefit of his ring on her finger.

Brett had his suspicions that young man had dishonorable intentions toward Marianne. If he were serious in his intent he would have made it official. The man's behavior reeked of a man stringing along one woman until a better one came along. If he found none to his liking then he would settle for the bird in the hand.

Marianne had been out of town for the last few days. Katherine asked how he knew that to which he replied he made it his business to know.

Marianne and her mother had been away for a few days to visit Marianne's beau. Julia had deemed it neither safe nor proper for her daughter to traipse all over the country un-chaperoned. Brett agreed wholeheartedly with Julia. Some could not be trusted with a female of any species. Depravities ran ramped in larger cities as Brett knew first hand from his former occupation.

Brett had learned Marianne and her mother had returned yesterday. What would be more neighborly than to take a young friend to lunch? If she happened to be a woman well wasn't that just providential?

Katherine reminded him that she and Marianne were not all that well acquainted. His easy and quick reply had been then all the more reason to invite the young woman to lunch. One could never have too many friends.

Katherine had acquiesced to his pleading only because she owed him a debt of gratitude. Well that was not strictly truthful as Katherine genuinely liked Brett. Erik grudgingly had offered his own stamp of approval on Brett all be it with reservations. As long as Brett's interest stayed directed away from Katherine all would be well.

Brett shoved Katherine out of the door before she could change her mind. She barely had a chance to grab her handbag or hat. She called laughingly over her head to Gamm that she would be going to town as Brett insisted on seeing Marianne.

Gamm just shook her head at that scamp Brett. That man and Erik between them could charm a pit of cobras into becoming house pets. Gamm assured Katherine that between Amy and herself they would keep an eye on Quanah.

Gamm had worried over Brett just as Katherine had concerning Marianne. When she had made her own observations concerning Marianne's availability he had calmly stated the woman had not been roped, hogtied, nor branded. He considered her to be an untamed filly.

Gamm had protested that women were not horse stock. They did not need to be roped, hogtied, nor branded.

Brett had shocked her with his lazy drawl giving his own explanation that if a woman did not wear a man's ring that meant she had not committed to anything. If Marianne had a ring or asked him to back off he would have. She never had outright asked him to quit seeking her company or using any persuasive sweet talk on her. She merely blushed calling him an outrageous flirt. Nope, the lady never had outright given him the boot.

Katherine and Brett teased one another the whole way to town. Their relationship was very much like the one she shared with Raoul and Matthew. Erik continually grumbled that in all the state she could not find a few more women and less men friends.

Katherine had reminded him of all the women in her life. Erik grumbled like a bear with a sore paw whenever Katherine made plans which included Raoul or Brett. Matthew he just considered an inconvenience to his love life not competition.

Everyone else had there own agendas with their own interests. Raoul, Fawn and Dove had gone to town to lunch with Darius. With everyone busy Katherine did not have to worry aabout leaving anyone without company.

Raoul and Darius seemed to enjoy one another's company. Those two men had become quit close since the rescue. There always seemed to be some inside joke or knowledge shared between them. The friendship worked perfectly for both Fawn and Dove. They had an escort to town as well as built in chaperones for one another. The added benefit was that no one with any good sense said or did anything that would displease Darius. One look at the man and others scurried to do his biddding.

When they arrived at the building housing what had once been where Katherine worked she decided to go the theatre to visit with Erik after she dropped him off at the office. Brett did not see fit to remind her that the objective to her accompaning him was so he had some excuse to see Marianne. Brett figured if he could handle some mean eyed criminal he could handle a sweet tempered little filly just fine.

Brett teased Katherine about the fact that a certain Jezebel soprano would be there as well. Who would Katherine really be checking on?

Katherine had sniffed indignantly and told him just for that he could go into the office himself and see if Marianne would be as receptive to him. If Marianne tossed him out on his ear it would be no more than he deserved.

Katherine had seen the way Marianne had looked at Brett when she thought no one was looking. She pretended to find him annoying and acted accordingly. Her attitude did not phase Brett one bit. He declared a filly wasn't fit to ride unless she bucked a bit every now and then.

When he had made the statement they had all been at the dinner table. Katherine had just saved Brett from getting a cold pitcher of water poured in his lap when she offered her own interpretation of what he said knowing full well he meant exactly what Gamm thought. Katherine had quickly explained that wild horses were not easily tamed. Once the rider and horse came to an understanding they got along fine. A true trainer did not want to break the spirit of a horse. They wanted one that showed a bit of fire without causing any damage. A good horse and good rider always made an amicable agreement.

Brett left Katherine to seek her wild stallion while he went to coral his own little filly. Billy had almost talked his ear off before they made it to the top floor.

When Brett stepped into the outer office area the front desk and outer office both looked to be deserted, unless Marianne had taken to hiding from him under her desk. Of course she hadn't known he was coming so that couldn't be it.

Walking further down the hallway toward the offices and other rooms Brett heard muffled sobs. Well shoot he had not wanted to play the comforting shoulder to cry on but then he couldn't turn his back either. Damned Yankee had more than likely broke her heart. For just under a dollar Brett would make a little trip north and track that son of a bitch down. Gentlemen should not play fast and loose with women. Especially shy, gentle ones like Marianne. Brett knew about Marianne's history so he thought it a crime for any man to do anything to give her a moment of discomfort.

Brett knew of ways to give a lot of pain without leaving a mark. An old Chinese fellow had showed him a thing or two a few years back. It might just come in handy right here in Virginia if his suspicions about Jackson Tyler were correct. Until then he could practice on a certain Yank womanizer.

His search finally led Brett to a room used by the theatre staff and Erik to sit and drink coffee or eat a light meal. They would discuss the theatre or whatever they needed to share information about. Katherine had said mostly just the upper management of the theatre used it. The room had been pretty stark the last time he had been in there with only a table and chairs. At leas it had a couple of windows so a person didn't get that claustrophobic feeling in there with the door closed. Erik had even experimented with some new fangled thing called electricity and put in a bunch of wires that lit up a glass bulb when one flipped a switch. Erik had thought those who worked on this discovery to be on to something. If he had the time he would have given more thought into the matter. For now Erik just worked on what others had discovered and improved it for his own personal use. Erik said that one day this thing called electric would change the world.

Erik said he thought it might be worth investing some time and money into the project. Brett could see the sense of it as gas lamps scared the shit out of him. He had heard the hushed whispers among upper level security talking about leaks and possible explosions once too often to feel entirely comfortable.

He checked his pocket to make sure he had his handkerchief. On reflection he thought it might be as well to make sure the darn thing was clean. Much to his relief it was. He'd offer his shirt but somehow he didn't think that would set well with Marianne. Hell he didn't relish wearing a shirt after a woman wept all over him. He'd done it often enough not to want to repeat it.

Not wanting to suddenly speak giving her a fright he knocked on the door. She jumped about two inches from the floor nearly toppling over as she tried to turn quickly to see who had come in.

"Goodness gracious you nearly scared the skin right off my bones. Could you not warn me or something?" Marianne scolded unreasonably.

Brett tugged at his ears as was his habit when either nervous or amused. He could admit to a little of both at the moment. Not that he found her tear stained face amusing. She'd be horrified if she knew the state of her reddened eyes and red nose.

"Well I did think the knock would have been sufficient but I suppose next time I could hire a brass band. Would that suit you?"

"Don't be ridiculous. What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have a job somewhere or are you one of those light weights who get blown from place to place and woman…well from one job to another."

Just remembering she must look a fright Marianne turned her back on him. Wiping at her eyes she sniffled. Frantically she began to search her pockets for a handkerchief when she felt a tap on her shoulder. A white piece of cloth waved in front of her face like a flag of surrender.

"Thank you," Marianne rasped tearfully. Why could it not have been Erik who had found her blubbering like a baby? He'd have offered her his handkerchief then waited to see if she needed his shoulder. If not he'd have left without a word.

Marianne being embarrassed spoke a little more harshly when she addressed Brett once more to ask, "You still haven't told me what you are doing here. If your chasing after Katherine she isn't here. I would advice you to use caution around her or else Erik might do you some damage. He does consider Katherine to be spoken for."

"Now Miss Marianne you know perfectly well I came to see you. Why not just admit you can't resist me and be done with it, not that I don't like this cat and mouse dance we do every time we see one another."

"I don't have a clue what you're going on about. You certainly are conceited. Why as you know I have a…a…" At this point Marianne broke down once more. The sobs would not be held at bay. Not caring one bit she let her hurt out quite vocally. Damn Jonathan anyway.

Brett quickly pulled Marianne to his shoulder. Ah well, he supposed it would be worth Marianne's gratitude to have his shirt soiled by her tears. He patted and soothed her as she told him her whole sorry tale.

She and her mother had gone to Boston to see Jonathan the man Marianne thought would ask her to marry him. Once arriving they had gone to his home only to be told that everyone had too much to do to receive visitors as the young master would be announcing his engagement this evening at the celebratory dinner.

To make sure she had not misinterpreted anything Marianne had asked for specifics. She had been told by the exasperated butler that Master Jonathan would be announcing his engagement to Miss Divinia Cecilia Fitzgerald after the dinner but just before the dancing commenced. Did the young lady care to leave a message?

Marianne had said no but her mother, Julia had muttered quite a few words Marianne had been glad the butler had not heard.

Brett reining in his impulse to take that trip to Boston put all that energy into comforting Marianne. He had even coaxed her into going to lunch with him.

During that lunch Brett had managed to convince Marianne of his honorable intentions as well as sway her into thinking of him in less harsh terms than before. A few weeks into the relationship Marianne confessed Brett need not have tried so hard to convince her of his worth as she had already been fighting her attraction as she felt she had committed herself to Jonathan. Brett decided he would not need to take that trip to Boston. Jonathan would soon learn what a great prize he had let slip through his fingers when he lost Marianne.

Brett considered Jonathan's loss his gain. Yep things were looking up for one lonely cowboy.


	77. Chapter 76

**A/N: I do hope my reviews increase with this chapter. I waited hoping more of my faithful reviewers would come through. I guess with school and the last days of summer to enjoy there will be less readers. Although the number of hits was comparable to last chapter. Anyway here is the next installment for all those who read and review faithfully. You know who you are and you are appreciated. You keep me motivated. **

**Chapter Seventy-six**

**Night of Masquerades **

Hayden's mother, Abigail Prudence Sinclair, had sent out the invitations for the ball to introduce Katherine back into society properly. Through her friends of The Women's Guild she had let it be known that the governor, John J. Jacob would be attending. What good was a relative in government if not to impress one's friends?

Raoul had offered the use of the hotel ballroom and the hotel staff to attend during the evening. Abigail had accepted with many thanks.

This would give Abigail the opportunity to observe that young woman Christine her son had become so fond of. She did not approve of his involvement with a married woman but she did understand how one's emotions at times ruled over one's head. Hayden had a good heart and she would hate to see him hurt by some floozy.

Abigail and Emily's mother Georgette had put their heads together and decided a masked ball would be fun. It had been a couple of seasons since the last one so everyone would be receptive.

The dress shops had suddenly become very busy with everyone looking for a unique costume.

Not really knowing anything about costumes Katherine, Fawn and Dove chose elegant gowns deciding they would be ladies in waiting on the suggestion of the shop seamstress. They did not know what a lady in waiting was or what she did so they took the woman's advice as they did not trust their own judgment on such matters.

Katherine's gown matched her eyes only being a slightly darker blue. Fawn wore a green gown that sparkled as she moved. Dove had daringly chosen a low cut black dress that suited her darker coloring to perfection adding an air of mystery with her black mask.

The night of the ball everyone was brimming with excitement. Dove and Fawn had never been to such a grand affair. Really they had not been to anything other than Katherine's party and Erik's dinner. Katherine confessed she had not been allowed to attend such things as she had been too young before. If she had been home for her thirteenth birthday she would have had a fancy dress dance with all the young people invited. She had not even been home to have a debutante ball for her sixteenth birthday so that she could be introduced formally into the arena to be considered for courting.

No one had shared with the others what they would be wearing. It was supposed to be a surprise, which would be half the fun of the evening trying to find out who everyone was. It had not taken them long to figure out who everyone was. Not that they really tried to hide their identity from one another.

Meg had not known what to wear. Finally she had settled on a shepherdess costume. The high waist disguised her condition. Society frowned on women heavy with child attending public functions. She would hide herself at home while everyone else partied nor would she have asked Nadir to stay with her.

Meg had put her head together with the seamstress and come up with an original idea for a costume for Nadir. When Meg had excitedly presented him with the box he had opened it eagerly. He had struggled to keep his dismay from his face once the box had been opened and he saw what Meg wanted him to wear.

Inside had been a sheep's costume. A sheep! Nadir had continued to repeat to himself he loved Meg and if she wanted him to wear this damned sheep costume he would. If one person made a comment they would be walking around with a black eye Nadir thought darkly as he had looked one last time in his mirror. He looked ridiculous but Meg cooed over how cute he looked. Damn it a man did not want to look cute.

Now here he was standing in the crowd of party attendees. Comments had been made. Nadir had been formulating a list of offenders. He would exact his revenge at some point.

Catching sight of Erik standing by Katherine's side Nadir frowned. _**Erik gets to wear a striking red matador costume and I am a sheep. **_Once again he reminded himself that he loved his wife and would do anything to make her happy, even wearing this humiliating costume. If Nadir had not been so concerned with his costume he would have noticed that the trio from Paris had costumes similar to the ones they had worn the night of that last masquerade in Paris.

Darius standing next to Dove had caused quite a stir when he had entered. He had come as a sultan. He wore a red vest over his bared chest and a jeweled turban on his head. At any other time such would not be acceptable. Masquerades were known to be a time for loosening the restrictive bindings placed on a person's behavior as well as one's dress.

Matthew had come dressed as a Spanish conquistador. _**Damn it where were all these costumes hiding when Meg had been searching for mine? Everyone is a dashing figure and I am a sheep. **_Nadir scowled darkly daring anyone to comment.

Erik standing next to Katherine almost laughed out loud when Raoul had arrived wearing almost an exact replica of his costume from the night of the masquerade when Erik had presented his opera. Ironically Christine had come in a pink confection much as she had worn that night. Erik could appreciate the ironic symbolism as he would not be committing any devious acts or threatening anyone to perform his opera. He had the means to have his work performed without threats and he had not lost his mind loving the soprano insanely. Now for Katherine he might commit some act of violence were someone to approach her.

It did not escape Antoinette's notice that Erik, Raoul and Christine had worn costumes very much like those at the last masquerade they had attended. She hoped that did not portend of this evenings events. Antoinette and Roberto had simply worn ordinary finery then donned masks. They did not care to impress anyone. They had only themselves they needed to make happy.

Christine clutched at her bag. The key to the back door that resided inside seemed to burn right through the thin cloth. She felt sure her guilt had to be mirrored in her eyes. One look and someone would know she had a guilty conscience.

Once having made the pact with that devil Jackson Tyler, Christine had quickly come to regret it. She felt real fear whenever they had to meet which blessedly had not been more than twice. When he had summoned her to give her the key he had reminded her that no one crossed him and lived to tell the tale. She did not think it had been an idle threat. Christine saw real evil lurking just under the man's civilized exterior. Christine could not help but think he looked like someone she had met someone other than Erik. He did remind her of Erik but that was only superficially.

Lydia and Daniel scraped and bowed to Jackson but denigrated him behind his back. If Christine could have done anything to extricate herself she would have.

All she had to do was watch for the signal from Jackson who would be dressed as a highwayman. Christine thought he had chosen well as he had the air of thievery and dishonesty about him. He only let that part of him show to those he had underhanded deals with made in dark corners where honest people would never go. When encountering society matrons or business associates he seemed like any other man of means, courteous, polite and soft spoken.

Jackson would circulate so that all the important people would see him. Once he had established that he had been present he would slip out and don a costume that had been made to replicate Erik's. Just before he was to leave he would signal Lydia and Daniel.

Lydia and Daniel had come dressed as Josephine and Napoleon. Christine had barely restrained her laughter at their unoriginality.

When Lydia received the nod from Jackson she and Daniel would approach Katherine posturing themselves with supposedly sincere apologies. Daniel would then offer to fetch a tray of drinks so that they might toast their renewed father/daughter relationship. Lydia would have a vial of sleeping powder. Just before Daniel went for the trays she would slip him the vial from her bag.

Christine would casually wander over to the bar. Once Daniel had poured the powder into Katherine's glass he would slip Christine the vial which she would dispose of when she went to open the door for Jackson.

Erik wanted to dance with Katherine every dance. She had scolded him and told him she had a dance card and she must fulfill her obligations. Erik had demanded she show him this supposed card. When Katherine had pulled the card from her bag the only name written there seemed to be Erik's. Katherine had wanted to know how he had accomplished that as she had the card in her bag the whole time. Erik had whisked her away onto the dance floor chuckling at her vexed countenance. Erik would not tell her how he had switched the cards. He thought he should retain some of his mystery.

Darius wanted tonight to be the night he proposed to Dove. He had found the perfect ring. He had won Matthew's approval. Now he just needed the courage to take Dove out the side doors to the garden.

He felt a strange uneasy feeling creeping in. With so much excitement and his own plans running through his mind he just thought those feelings were because he had so much on his mind making him nervous. Darius would later rail at himself for ignoring the warnings. He would blame himself. Fate had been giving several warnings to several different individuals which had been pushed aside and excused. The desperate action that would take place this night had nothing to do with fate and everything to do with purely evil desires.

Darius waited for the next waltz to begin before taking action. He grabbed Dove by the hand dragging her behind him. They were through the doors and started down a pathway before Dove could either protest to such treatment or consent.

Darius forgetting that for every one step of his Dove must make two. He had pulled her behind him unceremoniously. Breathless Dove pulled back on Darius' hand. Once he came to a stop and faced her Darius could see her chest heaving as she panted trying to catch her breath.

Great, on the most important night of his life so far, he had her running as if they were in a relay race. He noticed Dove fanning herself. Damn now he had even made her perspire. Shit!

Noticing a bench just off the path Darius said, "There is a bench, sit down please. I mean if you want to sit of course but only if you want to. It makes no difference to me I can stand or sit. Whichever you prefer is fine by me. We can even continue to walk. I won't pull you behind me like a reluctant mule."

Dove laughed softly as she asked, "Did you just compare me to a mule?"

"Oh God no I did not…what I meant was you reminded me of a mule…no that is not what I meant at all. What I meant to say was…" Dove took pity on the poor dear man.

"Darius let us sit down. We can carry on a sensible conversation once we are comfortable."

Darius sat beside her then felt he could think better if he could pace. Dove watched him with a smile as he stomped back and forth in front of her. She loved this giant of a man. Quanah called him Tall Tree. Indeed he was built solid and rather large. One only had to look at him to feel his power and be afraid of him. What others did not know was that Darius was for the most part as gentle as a lamb. He rarely became angry. His anger quickly dissipated even when he did allow it to show.

"Dove I know we have only known one another for a short time but for me it is as if we had known one another for many years. I have waited a long time to find that one woman who seemed to know me as well as I know myself. When I met you it felt as if some divine force had brought you to me. We were preordained to meet and be together. What I would like, and Matthew has consented, I would like for us to be married. I would like to marry you Dove." Darius had sat down and taken Dove's hand in his when he got to the last of his speech. Now he waited for her reply.

Dove had felt that Darius would soon be proposing. He had been speaking of a family, children in particular. A man surely would not speak of having children with a woman if he did not intend for that woman to be the mother. "For me too it has been as if we have been together always. I love you Darius Marashi and would be proud to be your wife."

"Yes? You said yes?" Slowly her words processed in his mind.

Jumping to his feet in an uncharacteristic manner Darius proceeded to exclaim loudly, "She said yes. She will marry me. Hear that world, she will marry me."

Dove laughingly grabbed his hand to pull him back down beside her. She told him that indeed half of Richmond had probably heard his proclamation.

Dove took the initiative to seal their pledge with a kiss as Darius seemed too delirious to do anything but mumble about his good fortune. They spent time speaking about plans for the future.

The music played on as the couples whirled around the glossy floor gaiety in their steps. Everyone seemed only focused on having a wonderful night. Had they looked into the eyes of Jackson Tyler they might have seen the blackness that had taken over his soul. They might have paid attention to all the warnings. In this moment all seemed to be well. If they had known that within a few hours time desperation would grip them as they searched for loved ones, they certainly would have taken action. As it was they remained oblivious to the danger lurking in their mist.

Jackson watched his cousin with Katherine. _**Enjoy this night with her dear cousin for it will be your last. I may regret my kindness later but I have decided to allow you to live. Besides will it not be more torturous for you to know I have Katherine while your mind eagerly shows you images of the two of us together? Insanity will ensue I am sure thinking of me bedding dear Katherine. Yes dear cousin enjoy this time with her for it will be your last. Tonight Katherine will be mine. **_

**A/N: And so begins the evil plot of Jackson. The next chapters begin the violence so be warned. They are rated for violence, language and sexual content. So be warned. I hope I am handling the cousin situation correctly. I want it to be confusing and misleading but not out and out stupid. **


	78. Chapter 77

**Chapter Seventy-seven**

**Desperate Abduction**

Jackson discreetly nodded his head toward Lydia who grabbed Daniel's arm whispering something into his ear. They excused themselves. They headed for Katherine and the others surrounding her.

Searching for Christine they spotted her standing with Hayden and his mother. Waiting to catch Christine's eye Lydia nodded to signal that Christine should make herself ready to retrieve the vial from Daniel then proceed to the hall unlocking the door.

Christine gripped her bag tightly when she spied Lydia. Lydia gave her the nod she had been dreading. Swallowing down her fear she excused herself. Casually she walked to where Daniel and Lydia stood at the bar. Never had a few feet seemed so far. Christine felt as if a dirge would be more appropriate to play than a waltz. Sidling up to Daniel, Christine watched as he poured the powder into the glass giving it a quick stir with his finger. She wished she had the courage to smash it out of his hand. The little vial seemed to burn Christine's hand when Daniel passed it to her. Surely someone could see the guilt clearly displayed on her face. No one seemed to be paying any attention to her or Daniel. Lydia stood just to the side fanning herself as she partially shielded Daniel if someone should look this way.

Once the vial touched her hand Christine quickly made her way to the hall. Once out of sight of everyone Christine ran down the hallway. The quicker her task could be completed the quicker she would be free of her obligation to Jackson.

Taking the key from her bag Christine looked guiltily over her shoulder. Seeing no one she inserted the key with trembling fingers. She sighed in relief when she heard the click of the lock.

Running back down the hall she placed the key in the potted plant where one of Jackson's spies would retrieve it later to return to the hotel housekeeper's key ring which hung on a wall in her office when not hooked at her waist. She also rid herself of the burden of the vial. Christine felt as if some evil had been driven from her when she released those two bits of incriminating evidence.

Noting Christine's return Daniel and Lydia made their way to Katherine with Daniel carrying a tray of drinks. That fact alone should have raised suspicions. Daniel did not carry out tasks he considered work for servants.

Swallowing down his dislike for the whole situation and the denting to his pride Daniel begged Katherine to try to find it in her heart to forgive an old fool. Lydia had made him see sense. He wanted his daughter back. Offering her the tray with the glass with the drug turned toward Katherine Daniel waited with bated breath until Katherine had taken the correct glass. Smiling insincerely he offered everyone else a glass so that they might join in the toast.

Erik did not trust Daniel any further than he could through him. Erik grinned at the possibility of finding just how far that might be. For Katherine Erik tamped down the uneasiness Daniel had instilled in him as soon as he had joined them.

Daniel signaled a waiter to take the tray. Once that task had been accomplished Daniel proposed his toast. Katherine could not say she felt anything for her father other than what she would feel for any human being she did not know. She had no tender feelings for him but did not wish him any harm so she drank her glass of Champaign in the spirit of goodwill.

Within minutes Katherine began to feel strangely lethargic. Her vision began to blur. She felt as if she were going to faint. She swayed. Erik just barely caught her before she hit the floor.

Keeping his arms wrapped tightly around her Erik asked if she wanted to sit down. Antoinette suggested the powder room. There would be a fainting couch in there and Katherine could splash her face with water.

Meg told Nadir she would go as well. She would return as soon as she knew anything.

Antoinette took charge of Katherine. The other women followed behind in concern. Christine did not want to seem as if she were unconcerned so she went as well. She and Hayden had joined the group at Hayden's suggestion. Christine could not refuse although she had wanted to.

Antoinette and Fawn held Katherine between them. Dove and Darius had just returned to the group when Katherine had been led away. When asked what had happened Erik explained what had happened. Dove excused herself so that she might assure herself Katherine was alright. When Erik and the other men would have joined her she admonished them to stay. It would be unseemly for men to be lurking outside a women's powder room.

Erik had wanted to say he gave not one fuck what others thought unseemly but held his tongue when Darius gave him a warning look.

Antoinette sat Katherine on the couch with Fawn's help. Antoinette wanted to ask if Katherine thought she might be in a delicate condition but with the others nearby she refrained.

The door opened drawing all eyes. Antoinette frowned when she saw Erik enter. He knew better than to enter this room. She had thought he had interpreted her warning she had cast in his direction just before she left the ballroom. As usual he did as he wanted and damn the consequences.

"Erik this is highly inappropriate behavior even for you." Antoinette laid her hand on his shoulder. Erik shrugged her off pushing her back with his hand. Erik had never laid an ungentle hand on Antoinette in all the years she had known him. Now he shoved her to the floor.

Scooping Katherine up in his arms Erik went to the door. He kicked out with his boot a couple of times. The door swung inward. A hand on the door was all the women inside the room could see.

Erik stepped through the door. After the door had closed they looked at one another in confusion. Fawn and Christine helped Antoinette to her feet. Meg went to the sink to wet two of the towels from the stack of towels by the side of the sink lying in a basket.

Christine knew who the man was. It was not Erik but Jackson who had taken Katherine. Christine went to leave the room because she knew those men would be coming back to keep them in this room until Jackson completed whatever the rest of his plan entailed. She only knew about her part and Lydia and Daniel's contribution to Jackson's plan.

Upon opening the door Christine stepped back in shock as two burly men shoved her back inside. This was not supposed to happen. Jackson had promised her she would be able to leave once her part had been completed.

"Not so fast girlie. Jackson said no one leaves. That includes you Mrs. de Chagny. Jackson was a might surprised to see you here. In fact he is quite pissed to have so many women. He said to…." The man stopped speaking as a commotion outside the door drew his attention.

Emily had seen Antoinette and Fawn leading Katherine away. She had not been with Katherine at the time her father approached her. She had been dancing with a stuffy friend of the family. Once the music had stopped she had hightailed it after the others. Once she had made her way down the hall she noticed the men outside the powder room, one standing just inside the door the other just outside the room. Feeling certain they were up to no good she had lifted her skirts to prepare for a sprint back down the hallway to the ballroom so she might sound an alarm.

Before she could take more than a few steps one of the men grabbed her. She began to struggle. Cursing out loud she demanded to be set free. She kicked and bit whenever she found a likely target.

"God damn it woman. I shall knock the fucking life from you if you bite me one more time. We haven't been paid for this but I'll make an exception in your case. Fucking bitch you act like a savage." If he had known he had just paid Emily what she considered a compliment he may have been a bit concerned.

"Zack, what the hell should I do with her? We have too many fucking women. Boss only wanted one extra bargaining chip now we have seven. He said do as we pleased with the others later. He wants us to take them with us now then decide what to do later."

"Well I figure we can handle about four possibly five. Perhaps we should have a little private discussion. You ladies just keep quiet now. Henry and me, we're a going to have a little powwow." He drew his dirty jacket aside so they could see the guns on his hips as well as the knife in his belt.

"Zack I say shove the savage what bit you in the closet with the older one. We can wedge a chair under the knob. That should keep them until we are long gone. I'll crack the older one and I let you get a bit of pay back for the savage one biting you. You can knock her a good one."

"Henry I think we should just kill 'em. That way they can't talk."

"Zack how many times I haffta tell you that I don't kill no women. Rough 'em up a bit then fuck them but I won't kill one. Neither will you so long as I am here. We'll just knock 'em out like we planned. Nothing else. Tonight we can have us a bit of fun. Whatda you say Zack?"

"Alright but I don't like it none. Don't need no chair neither. Might look suspicious if someone was ta look in."

Turning back to the cowering women Zack and Henry approached them. Pulling out his guns Zack pointed them in the women's direction.

First Henry hit Antoinette in the head with his pistol knocking her unconscious. The others started to scream. Henry said to be quiet or he'd let Zack shoot her. They quieted all the while Meg tearfully watched as the man called Henry dragged her mother into the utility closet. He unceremoniously dropped her to the cold hard floor.

Stepping back out of the closet he withdrew his gun to point toward the women in a threatening manner. Zack then stepped toward Emily who refused to cower from him. She spit in his face which more than likely was the reason he hit her twice. He would have hit her again but Henry warned him he'd shoot him himself if he killed the woman. Zack had satisfied himself with a vicious kick to the ribs once he dropped Emily beside Antoinette on the floor.

Zack and Henry escorted the women out the door to begin a journey that would be hell for all of them but for Katherine the journey would be particularly hellish. Events would take place that could possibly destroy her mentally if not physically. This time Katherine might not come back.

**A/N: Oh I am evil. Since I got so many quick reviews and my internet problem was fixed to celebrate I posted this early. Hope you enjoyed the drama but buckle up for as Bette Davis once said "We're in for a bumpy ride" or something to that effect anyway. Read and review.**


	79. Chapter 78

**Chapter Seventy-eight**

**Return of the Phantom**

Jackson had delivered Katherine to the waiting wagon in the alley. His most entrusted employee, if he could trust anyone, Frank would drive toward the designated meeting place. Jackson had considered whether or not he should take the time to remove the loose end of his foreman Samuel. The man had helped Jackson and Frank carry out the plan. He had been present during all the planning. If anyone found him they could make him talk. Deciding he did not have time to waste Samuel would live when Jackson left.

Jackson removed the matador costume replacing it with his own highwayman's costume. Straightening his clothes he brushed a hand over his hair smoothing it in place. He gathered the costume he had taken off the bent to drop it into the opening to the underground water runoff tunnel. By the time anyone went down there to do maintenance the cloth would be either rotted or gnawed by vermin beyond recognition. Jackson returned to the ballroom after discarding the red matador costume confident his plans would go smoothly.

Everything had worked in Jackson's favor. Two trains fortuitously were leaving within a few minutes of one another. One would head north to New York and the other would be headed out west. By the time everyone checked out both trains Frank would be too far away to find. The trail he hoped would be too cold.

Once Jackson had put in his appearance to prove he had nothing to do with Katherine's disappearance he would leave Richmond and never return. He had purchased a property out in Wyoming that he had hired a crew to build him a house on so that he might have a proper home for Katherine. The first night he made love to her he wanted it to be in the home they would share.

Jackson returned to the ballroom. Lydia and Daniel he could see just leaving. He snagged a glass of Champaign silently toasting a farewell to Lydia and Daniel. He only wished he could be the one to silence them forever. He would quite enjoy slitting Daniel's throat as a little retribution for Katherine. Lydia he had wrestled with his conscience for a few days. In the end there had been only one acceptable plan. Kill them both. Lydia would not die by his hands so he considered himself still free of that sin at least. He had hired two men to take care of the task for him. Once the murders were accomplished the men would then disappear. Jackson had paid enough to ensure their loyalty and that they could travel far enough away not to be around when suspects began being pulled in for questioning. Every criminal in the city would come under suspicion.

Erik paced from the other men standing in a group to the doorway. Something did not seem right. Someone should have returned by now.

Damn it where were they? Erik took a step into the hallway. Where the hell would he find the women's powder room anyway? There seemed to nothing down this hall. There was a place about halfway down that turned to the right.

Stepping back to the others Erik said worriedly, "Something is wrong. I feel it. One of the others should have come back by now." He went to leave but Nadir grabbed his arm.

"Erik you cannot just barge into a room where women will… well, be doing whatever women do in a powder room. We should send a woman to check. If you just rush in you may frighten others who might be in there as well as being arrested for whatever charges they may bring against you."

"Well Nadir it may have escaped your notice but all our women are at the present time with Katherine. Who might you suggest we send?"

"Well we could send…" Nadir paused as he perused the room. His eyes settled on Marianne who wore a fairy costume. Her colorful wings sticking out of her back waved with each movement. Brett stood beside her wearing his Pinkerton badge, his two pistols which he always had strapped to his hips and thighs, and a black mask.

"Marianne can go. She is just over there. I will ask…" Nadir had no chance to finish his sentence before Erik had all but sprinted through the crowd. He jostled a few of the dancers as he wove his way toward the couple he had his eyes locked on.

He grabbed Marianne's arm commanding tersely, "Come with me."

Brett stayed his forward movement by grabbing Erik's right arm to speak a little tersely himself, "You might want to loosen your hold a might there Erik. This is Marianne not some dance hall floozy."

The two men glared at one another for a few tense seconds then Marianne got between them to push with one hand on each man's chest.

She patted Brett's chest in a calming manner as she addressed Erik, "What is it Erik? What has you so disturbed?"

"It is Katherine. She did not feel well then went to the powder room. The others followed her and no one has returned. Someone should have been back by now to let us know her condition."

Brett cursed as he looked around the room. He saw Jackson speaking to Hayden's mother. He thought for sure if anything happened tonight it would be Jackson causing the trouble.

"We do not have the fucking time to stand about all night. We must find out what happened. Marianne is the only one to send as the others are already with Katherine."

At any other time Brett would have reprimanded Erik but his instincts had woken with a vengeance as soon as Erik explained what the problem was. Brett would bet every penny he had that Jackson had a hand in anything underhanded going on. Even with Jackson standing there so unconcerned he knew something wasn't right.

Marianne made her way to the hallway with a trail of men following behind. She turned to the right about halfway down. Finding the correct door Marianne opened it cautiously. When she saw no one she turned to the men. Erik unceremoniously barged past her.

"Where the hell are they?" Erik belligerently asked no one in particular.

The others filed into the room as if they might see something enlightening. Nothing in the immediate area gave a clue to what had happened. Brett went into the hallway. He looked back the way they had come then in the other direction. At the end of the hall he saw a door which he believed would lead to the back alley.

Striding down toward the door with purpose Brett tested the knob. It readily turned opening the door. That door should be left locked at all times except for deliveries or the removal of trash. Neither seemed likely at this hour.

The others followed. Hayden cautioned them to let Brett look at the scene before anyone trampled on bits and pieces that might be clues. Brett had experience in crime detection. He had read many modern books on the subject and kept himself apprised of recent milestones in that field of expertise.

Opening the door to its full extent Brett scanned around the alley. Taking a few steps out into the ally he looked closely at the ground for anything that might be a clue. Noting several ends to fat cigars he bent at the knees so he could squat down. Reaching down he picked up one of the remains of a cigar.

Putting it to his nose he sniffed. Not an overly expensive brand but not a hobo's mix either. It did not smell stale. He rolled it between his fingers. The tobacco crumbled crisply between his fingers. It could not have lain here long as it had rained last night and at this hour the dew would have fallen on it. These facts would indicate whoever had smoked these cigars had been here within the last couple of hours.

During the day too much traffic coming and going in the hotel would have made it nearly impossible to sit or stand here in the middle of the alley. A person could have stood to the side but not in the middle.

Another clue caught Brett's eye. Before leaving the pile of spent cigars he picked one up wrapping it in his handkerchief.

Standing up he walked to the pile of horse droppings. Bending down he used a stick to stir it around. It seemed fresh. Lighting a match he used it to see what the pile contained and what it looked like.

There were bits of grain so the animal had been in a stable recently. There did not seem to be evidence of gnats or flies around the pile. There were no wheel marks from any other wagon running through the pile so it would not have been there during delivery hours which would indicate a wagon had been parked here recently with at least one man sitting in the seat for some time.

Brett stood mentally viewing the area seeing in his mind a man on a wagon waiting for quite some time as indicated by the number of cigars smoked. The position of the cigars would be about right for a man sitting in a wagon waiting. A man coming out of the back door could quickly pass his burden on to another then return as if he had never left the ball. Since he would have had to change back into his own costume Brett looked around for a handy place to dispose of such an item.

He spied the drainage opening in the dim light from the street. The opening led to one of the tunnels under the street built to catch the rain runoff.

Brett went down to his knees. Lighting another match he stuck it into the opening lighting the inside so he could see. Lying flat on his stomach he stretched to see into the darkness. Wiggling just a bit he squeezed his head and shoulders through the opening. Once he felt he could see properly he held the match aloft as he looked down. Sure enough he saw red cloth. Whether it indeed proved to be a costume Brett did not know but he felt safe to say with a 99.9 percent chance that it would be a red matador costume.

He had just wiggled back out when he heard Marianne calling frantically. Losing his focus for a moment he cursed scooting back out so he could stand. If one hair on her head had been hurt he would fucking kill someone. Before Brett had finished with them they would willingly admit their mother had fucked the postman resulting in a questionable birth.

Marianne who had stayed behind called urgently to the others. They raced back to find Marianne had opened the closet door. Erik cursed his carelessness. He had been so worried that he had not found Katherine that he had missed an obvious place to look.

Erik bent down to pick up Antoinette but he had been shoved to the side by a frantic Roberto. Putting his arm underneath her Roberto gently picked Antoinette up to caress the darkening bruise on her temple. He kissed her temple tenderly as he called her name.

Matthew had only been a second behind Roberto. Once he saw that the other woman had been Emily nothing on earth would have kept him from going to her. Matthew treated Emily in a similar fashion that Roberto had treated Antoinette.

Whereas Antoinette began to stir Emily remained still and unresponsive. The whole side of her face had been bruised. Checking for other injuries Matthew noticed the boot print on Emily's dress. Matthew's rage had been simmering but now it spewed forth with murderous ferocity. Someone would fucking pay for this. He would make sure the person responsible lived in hell here on earth just shortly before he sent them to hell permanently.

Antoinette opened her eyes. Seeing Erik behind Roberto she asked weakly, "Erik why? Why did you shove me? Why did you take Katherine?"

"I have not been here before. This is the first time I left the ballroom. Ask anyone. What the hell do you mean I took Katherine? I do not have her."

"Two men came in after the man in the matador costume left. The one called Henry hit me. I guess they hit Emily afterward. I saw the man called Zack standing in front of her. He must be the one that hit Emily. She fought and bit him. Are the others safe?"

"I think I found the matador costume in the drainage tunnel out in the alley," Brett offered to ease everyone's mind that it had not been Erik, although he would have had to have been a master of illusion to accomplish the feat as everyone had been talking to him all night. Knowing Erik he would know an illusion or two but this feat would have been impossible unless he had a twin he had kept hidden.

"Everyone else is gone Antoinette. Think, did the men say anything?" Erik hated to badger her when her head must feel as if she had been kicked by a mule but they had to begin the search soon. The more time that passed the less chance there would be of finding Katherine and the others. Since the man who took Katherine left first it would be safe to assume they had left at two different times.

Brett and Erik had reached the same conclusion. "Erik I think we need to look for two separate groups. The one with Katherine which I believe has only one man and the group that has the women which from Antoinette's account would only indicate two individuals."

"Since there did not seem to be any evidence of a second wagon we must assume they walked from here. If they kept to the alleys they could avoid being seen. There is a stable just down the street. Horses could have been hired from there or even their own mounts could have been picked up. I am going to go under the assumption that the men only had at the most three horses ready. One for each of them and one for a hostage. Since they now have three other women they would need to hire three additional horses. The stableman will remember hiring out three horses."

"Well what the hell are you standing about for go find our girls. Erik you kill those bastards if you have to. Bring all of them back Erik, bring them all back safely." Antoinette broke down sobbing when he emotions overcame her need to speak.

For a moment everyone stood around in shock to hear Antoinette curse but equally shocked to hear her instruct Erik to kill another human being even if it were with the added admonishment of only doing so if necessary.

Brett took charge which Erik did not object to as he could only think of Katherine at this moment. Once he had cleared his mind a bit his wits may return but for now he needed someone directing him or he might let his need for vengeance rule his head. Katherine needed the cool headed calculating part of the Phantom not the crazed insane man who went off half cocked at the smallest thing.

Hayden and Nadir were dispatched to find the Governor to ask for assistance from the soldiers he had brought with him for protection. If they could borrow just a few that would help tremendously. There were so many places that would need to be eliminated.

Darius and Raoul were given the task of going to Jackson's central warehouse where his foreman would be found. They were to bring back the man willingly or otherwise. Neither Darius nor Raoul had a problem with that. Darius had a sudden urge to smash his fist into something. He almost hoped the man would protest. Perhaps Darius would hear a protest where none had been made.

Erik and Matthew would check the train station. Brett would canvas the area asking every night roach what they had seen during the evening and what they might have heard. Urgently they set about their tasks agreeing to meet back at Erik's warehouse so they might interrogate Jackson's foreman. Emily would be taken home by her mother with a brief explanation. Matthew kissed her tenderly whispering he loved her. She did not respond but Matthew knew if there were indeed a kind and loving God Emily would know he spoke to her.

Splitting up they all went about their assigned task. The search and rescue had begun.

**A/N: Okay from here things really start to kick up a notch. Things will get really gloomy for a time just keep rooting for the good guys. Let's here a shout out for the good guys as they search for their women.**


	80. Chapter 79

**Chapter Seventy-nine**

**Desperation**

Erik and Matthew had learned there were two trains, one headed toward New York and one headed west. Erik chose to go north. Since Matthew had been more familiar with the territory out west they agreed he should travel in that direction.

Going their separate ways both men drove their mounts to the ground. They were about twenty minutes behind the trains but the train went slightly faster and horses tired where trains did not. Trains had to stick to the tracks horses could cut across the land narrowing the distance between the rider and the trains.

It had taken the better part of an hour for Erik to catch up with the train. Erik had to slow up every now and then to let his mount get his second wind and at one point third wind. Rider nor horse would give in. Mephistopheles had been blowing for the last few minutes. Urging him silently to reach down and give just that one bit of speed Erik rejoiced when he felt Mephistopheles surge forward just a bit faster.

That burst of speed brought the caboose of the train into sight. Erik urged his mount on still faster and that brute of a horse gave his all and then some as if he sensed his masters urgency. Erik had almost reached the engine of the train. He could see the engineer leaning out the other side. Guiding Mephistopheles closer to the train Erik stood in the saddle preparing to jump.

Praying he did not miss and end up under the train rather than in it, Erik leaped to the side. He grabbed hold of the handle on the side of the train. Having pulled completely free from his horse Erik now hung precariously from a single metal bar attached to the train. For a moment Erik's legs dangled just inches from the steel wheels of the train.

Pulling up with his arm his muscles bulged and strained. He swung his other arm up and grabbed onto the bar. Swinging his lower body his boot caught at the stairs. Pulling up he reached out with one hand to grab the rail of the steps. Triumphantly Erik pulled himself over until at last he could place both feet on the last step. Grasping both rails he quickly entered the engine. Drawing his gun Erik pushed it into the back of the engineer.

Shouting to be heard above the noise of the engine Erik ordered, "Stop the train. Stop it now and you will live." Erik had no intention of killing anyone on the train but he saw no need to advertise that fact.

Nudging the man again Erik repeated himself a little louder to be sure the man understood him.

The man shouted back, "If you wanted to rob a train you picked the wrong one. We don't have a strong box and we have very few passengers."

"I am not here for money. I just want to search the train. Cooperate and no one will be harmed."

Shrugging the engineer pulled the chain that would give out the loud whistle to signal the conductor they would be stopping. Gradually the train came to a halt.

Pointing downward with his free hand Erik followed the engineer back to the first car. Row by row, seat by seat Erik searched that car and the one behind it. He searched all the way to the caboose.

Everyone seemed to be more excited by the prospect of a robbery than frightened. Names were bandied about between the passengers. Jesse James, the Dalton gang, Colt Younger and his brothers perhaps. They would have been rather disappointed that the man in the mask had only come searching for his woman. He could not even be labeled a true train robber or indeed a robber at all. He was merely a retired Opera Ghost.

Having satisfied himself Katherine had not been hidden anywhere on this train he took his leave. Mephistopheles had stopped to graze. Remounting Erik urged him to speedily take him back to Richmond. He promised him fresh hay, plenty of grain and a nice rubdown and his own stall at the end of the ride.

Matthew had faired no better. Katherine had not been on the train. The only difference being the people on his train did not care for his looks. As soon as he had left them in peace the ingrates had shot at him winging him in his left arm.

Erik and Matthew returned almost at the same time. Erik had returned just a little ahead of Matthew. They both had taken their mounts to the stable and gave instructions to treat their animals with special care. There would be a double fee paid if they returned to contented horses. Not wanting to waste time walking they paid the man to let them use two of his mounts for the ride to Erik's warehouse where everyone was to meet.

They rode to Erik's warehouse down by the loading docks. The side door had been left open.

Darius had a wild look about him when they entered. His hair was disheveled and his fists were clenched tightly. Raoul had a split lip. Hayden and Nadir were trying to keep the peace. Brett had not returned yet. Darius paced about as if he looked for something to use to dispell his anger. Erik assumed that Hayden and Nadir were keeping him from ripping the head from the man in the chair. Once Erik got what information he needed he did not care if Darius sent the man to his maker. Hell Erik would join him had there not been a urgency to find Katherine and the other missing women.

The man sitting in a chair with his hands tied to the chair arms looked defiant more than frightened. He only had a few bruises on his face. Erik decided they should perhaps change that quite soon.

"Nadir what happened? Why does Darius look…well why does he look like me in one of my insane moments? What happened to Raoul?" Erik would hate for Darius to go off half wild. They needed everyone focused and thinking clearly. Including himself.

"Darius and Raoul had a scuffle with this man and five of his cronies. Darius had asked where they might find his boss Mr. Tyler. I suppose you could say Darius took it personal when they told him to f…well to do something not possible. Raoul said he began swinging and did not stop until the last man had gone down. Raoul held this man here while Darius asked him again where his boss might be found. The man said something quite insulting about Dove, which leads us to believe he does know Jackson's plans and whereabouts. Darius attempted to persuade the man to cooperate. When he swung the man twisted to the side and Darius hit Raoul instead."

Erik went to stand in front of the man in the chair. Glancing over his head he examined Raoul's face. Damn it even a hit from Darius could not ruin that man's face. All he had was a split lip. Erik had been bruised for days when Matthew had slugged him. Katherine had been especially nice and did make it seem worth the pain but damn it why could Raoul not at least have a swollen lip or eye? Or even a small bruise?

At the end of his perusal Erik grunted, "Huh, you must have a harder head than I thought."

Raoul felt as if he had been given a great compliment. Erik had not made light of the fact that Darius had taken out five men while he held one only to be outmaneuvered resulting in an injury.

Erik had just made up his mind to begin his own questioning when the door opened. Brett stepped inside looking grim.

"Well, what did you learn? We learned nothing, other than Katherine did not leave on either train." Erik pounced on Brett before he had taken more than a few steps through the door.

"I found a couple of ladies of the evening who saw plenty and knew much more. They saw a wagon behind the hotel. A man came out carrying what looked like woman. One of the women remembered a gentleman bragging about how his boss would be stealing away the woman he wanted right under the nose of her lover. Sorry Erik no time for niceties. Flora said her gentleman knew where his boss would be taking his captive and an additional woman. Of course Flora thought Jackson had a bit of kinky games planned. She did not say the man had named Jackson but I am certain it had to be him."

Coming to the end of his explanation he asked, "Who might this be?" As he spoke he strolled casually up to the man.

"This is the man who will tell us where my Dove has been taken or I will rip his heart out and shove it down his throat." Darius took an angry step toward the man. Brett held him off with one hand on his chest.

"Now, now Darius no need for such talk. I bet I can have this fellow singing like a canary within a few minutes. I might have to ask you to leave if you have a weak stomach. Erik I bet you have a few ideas of your own how we might loosen his tongue."

"Oh indeed I do. I have not made this generally known but I was known as the Angel of Death in Persia. My employer encouraged me to invent ever increasingly cruel and efficient ways to torture criminals then have them deliver their own death. Indeed after a short time they begged to be allowed to end their torture. Of course the favorite devices were those that drove a man to take his own life with a few minutes. I am sure I could come up with something at short notice since I do have incentive to hurry. The device may not leave the victim as…intact as the original device but it will not matter once we have what we need." It sickened Erik to speak of those days as if he were proud of them.

"Well would you mind showing me a few things? I am always willing to learn as well as pass on my own knowledge."

Erik circled the man eyeing him quietly. He only touched the man briefly with his finger in different spots as if gauging whether to begin the torture in one place or another.

Erik inwardly smiled as the man began to sweat. He had been trying to give the impression that he had not been afraid when in reality he seemed quite frightened. The man's eyes began to dart around as Erik continued his circling. When Erik slammed his hands down on the man's shoulders he screamed like a woman on one of those carnival thrill rides.

Erik smiled toward Brett. Brett began to circle just as Erik had been. Erik went to the front of the man making sure he saw him pull out his knife. Erik twisted the knife back and forth as if examining it. Shaking his head he turned to walk away from the group around the man in the chair. Erik went to a table. He picked up a knife. Testing the sharpness of the blade with his finger he smiled to see the drop of blood. He placed his finger in his mouth meeting the eyes of the man in the chair. Erik kept his finger in his mouth just long enough to give the impression blood was almost a pleasure to drink.

The man swallowed. His head began to dart around looking for help from anyone. When Brett stepped closer to the man in the chair he almost toppled over trying to jerk away from Brett.

Erik had returned with the knife. He waved it in front of the man. Although the man continued to be outwardly defiant Erik saw the uneasy shifting of his eyes and the sweat on his upper lip and brow. The man may look calm but he had the smell of fear oozing from his pores.

"You know Brett it hurts like hell I suppose to have your fingernails removed by the blade of a knife. Your fingers are quite sensitive to touch. Your feet are second to your hands when it comes to touch."

"I wonder how many fingernails I would have to remove before he talked. Even if he still does not give us any information after ten fingers there are always ten toes. I have never met anyone who made it past two nails though and those men were considered hard men. Most men cave after the first nail."

"You people are sick. You're a sick son of a bitch." As he spoke the man looked from those two insane men in front of him to the others standing around him. He saw no help coming from the big wild-eyed man they called Darius. Perhaps he could appeal to the ones they called Nadir and Raoul. Those two looked civilized at least even if they showed no liking for him in their eye.

"You won't do this. You people are too civilized. You…you're just trying to scare me."

Erik leaned in close placing his hands on either side of the man to rest them on the arms of the chair. In his most menacing Phantom voice Erik hissed quietly, "You have no idea what I have done, what I will do. I have created more horror than you can imagine. My hands have committed more atrocities than you can conceive. Do not presume that because I look like a gentleman that I am incapable of monstrous acts. Once I have unleashed my demons on you, not even God will be able to save you."

Brett didn't know all there was to know about Erik but he knew enough. What Erik spoke about had the ring of truth.

"Now Erik, there is no need to get so messy. I learned a much more efficient way to use the fingers for torture. As you say a person's fingers are very receptive to touch be it gentle or brutal. We could do it your way but I don't relish cleaning up the bloody mess that we would make. We don't have time either to get him to the doctor so I would imagine by the time anyone finds him the rats...well you can imagine what a delicacy human flesh would be to those devils. Have you ever seen an animal carcass afther a horde of them have thier little feast? Not pretty, not pretty at all. Why once I was in New York and we found this body in an alley and you should have seen...well I won't continue a couple of our cohorts look as if they might heave at any moment. Now that would really draw the rats."

"Now back to the matters at hand. When I went to San Francisco I met a Chinaman. He taught me quite a bit about discipline and defense, as well some handy ways to torture a fellow without all the blood. Let me tell you about their water torture. Dreadful stuff water when dripped a drop at a time on…well as I said another time. Now to this gentleman."

"While I do not mind the blood if you have a preference let me hear it." The man in the chair began to shake.

Going to the table where Erik had retrieved the large knife Brett took out his own knife to carve several slivers of wood from the side of the table. He returned smiling almost gleefully at the man who by now must think they had all descended from Vlad the Impaler.

Holding up the slivers of wood Brett said conversationally, "All you do is stick one of these under the fingernail then wait to see if you get results. If not you move on to the next fingernail." Brett had emphasized his words by stabbing the little sliver of wood just over the top of his nail for emphasis the jabbed it in the air. By everyone's reaction one would think he waved a long sword in their faces. Erik had just barely stopped himself from reacting in any noticeable manner. If anyone had looked they would have seen his hands clenched with his fingernails hidden in the palm of his hand.

Brett picked up the man's hand. Choosing a finger he touched the end of the sliver of wood to the man's finger. He drew out the moment as long as he could hoping the man would cave and he wouldn't really have to go through with the torture.

"Stop, for the love of God stop. I will tell you all I know. Please stop. Just stop." The man began to sob. His front of brave defiance crumbled in the face of two formidable foes. Brett could not say he had been surprised to hear the man's surrender just as he could not say for sure if he felt disappointed not to get to try this method of interrogation. He had been of two minds whether or not he could go through with it.

Once the man began he told them everything. He would have told them every sin he had ever committed if they had asked.

They sent Hayden with a note to drop off at his mother's house. The governor would be sending soldiers to pick up the little canary to deliver him at the local jail.

Brett and Erik went to Daniel and Lydia's hotel suite. Brett put his ear to the door. He heard nothing. Nodding to Erik they both drew their guns. Brett motioned with his fingers to count to three. Erik nodded that he understood. Brett raised the third finger kicking in the door. Quickly dropping down he rolled into the room. With his gun ready he lay on his stomach.

Erik had come in directly after Brett. He stood crouched with his gun pointed directly in front of him.

Brett rolled nimbly to his feet. Holstering his gun, Brett walked over to the bed. If he had not seen such things many times before he may have been ill.

Daniel lay on his stomach with his throat slit. Blood soaked the sheet and mattress beneath. Lydia lay on her back with her eyes wide open as if she had woken up when hearing Daniel's gasp. Her throat had been slit as well. Judging by the clean slice of the wounds Brett figured this to be the job of professionals. There had to be two. If Lydia had woken up she would have screamed at least once before the man could leave Daniel then make his way to Lydia. Therefore two men seemed a logical assumption.

Erik had no love for either Lydia or Daniel. Hell he might have beaten the man senseless himself if they had not gotten the information they needed from Jackson's foreman. Lydia would have been left alive but terribly frightened. The decision for both had been taken out of his hands.

Brett and Erik left the scene to make their way back to the others with a detour to the local police to report the crime. Erik stayed outside as he did not feel confident that he might not come under suspicion as he and Daniel had parted on harsh terms concerning the business and Katherine.

Once they rejoined the others Brett told them what they had found at the hotel. The same thought traveled through their minds. If he could do this to people who had aided him in his plan what might he do to the others? Hastily they gathered provisions and weapons. Erik brought out a metal box filled with ammo. This he placed on the packhorse. There were several rifles as well as several sticks of dynamite. One never knew. Better safe than sorry.

In under an hour since the man confessed they said there good-byes. Emily had been seen by the doctor. Emily would be fine barring complications. Antoinette they were told had faired well also. She and her baby were fine. Erik had jolted at this bit of news. Privately he thought, "Well I will be damned. Antoinette will be a mother once more."

Solemnly they headed out. When the sun came up they would begin to look for tracks. They had a direction and a general destination. Now all they had to do was catch up to Jackson.

**A/N: So now the intensity increases. Violence is ahead. The next chapters is not for the squeamish or young. They are as I said intense both with violence and emotions. Please leave a review. Because there is so much going on if I get five or six reviews for my next chapters I will post every other day if not I will post every few days as I have been. I think these last chapters deserve it as I had to rewrite them and they are so emotional. Please click and review.**


	81. Chapter 80

**A/N: Okay as promised I am posting the next chapter. I got those six reviews. I am not greedy. I know authors who demand anywhere from ten to twenty. So I am a cheap whore. Oops. Shouldn't have typed that. **

**Chapter Eighty**

**Ordeal in Hell**

Jackson himself had caught up with his man Frank. Katherine had her hands and feet tied. The drug had worn off. Jackson could here her calling out curses to no one in particular. Well perhaps a few were aimed at him. Most in fact had his name attached.

Frank sat on the ground leaning against the wagon wheel. He calmly puffed on a cigarette. He had practice turning a deaf ear so Katherine's name calling about the origins of his own birth, his mother's questionable occupation as well as his dissention into hell did not bother him.

"How is my dear Katherine?" Jackson dismounted and removed his riding gloves.

"See for yourself. She hasn't stopped calling me every name I have heard in English and many in Apache I ain't heard before." Frank gestured to the back of the wagon with the hand holding his cigarette.

Jackson climbed into the back of the covered wagon. The inside had been specially designed. Jackson wanted to be comfortable while they traveled. It could take a couple of weeks of more hard riding to reach his destination.

They could not dawdle but Jackson would wait for his men to catch up with him so he would have his hostage. He may need that extra bit of bargaining power if his cousin and the others caught up with him.

Jackson stepped inside the wagon to stand beside the bed. He had made sure the mattress would be comfortable. After all he and Katherine would be sharing the close accommodations for a while.

"You bastard let me go. You will die by either Matthew or Erik if you do not." Katherine's eyes spit fire and retribution toward Jackson. Her hatred and anger laced every word.

"Ah Katherine my love let me start by apologizing for this primitive means of winning your love. Time just did not afford me an option. If I had waited you would have belonged to another and then I would have had to kill him. Not that I would object to that mind you. People being the nosy beings that they are someone would have talked or perhaps that Brett fellow would have stumbled onto my plan. So you see I really did not have an alternative."

"You son of a bitch you will not get far. Erik and Matthew will hunt you into the ground."

"Yes I would expect nothing less which is why we shall be having company in oh…" Jackson paused to look at his watch before he continued, "I'd say in about two hour's time. Until then is there anything I can get for you anything I can do to make you more comfortable?"

"You can go back to hell where you came from," Katherine suggested as she kicked out with her bound feet.

Jackson chuckled at her feisty reply. Life with Katherine would certainly never be dull. "Now what sort of way is that to speak to your future husband? Ah, I can see that comes as a surprise. I am a gentleman Katherine. I would not want to take you without benefit of matrimony. At the end of our journey we will be married. You will be mine."

"I will never be yours. How could I want a man who would betray his own people the way you did? If you had done it for the principal of the deed alone, that could have been justified. You only did it for the monetary gain."

"But my dear Katherine if it had not been me it would have been someone else. Why should I pass up a golden opportunity? It is not as if I cheated anyone. I always played fair. I never sold inferior weapons. I did not damage the guns as some did so that when fired they blew up in the face of the shooter."

Katherine eyed Jackson with hate filled eyes. If she got the chance she would kill him herself. He smiled as he read her intent in her eyes. Jackson liked that spark of defiance in her. Katherine's strength had been one of the things that had drawn him to her all those years ago when he used to come to the camp. If he had been less lecherous and perhaps a little more subtle in his interest Katherine might have been less shy of him.

"Well I suppose I will leave you for a bit. I need to discuss a few things with Frank. The others should be here before long then we will be moving on again. Let me know if you need anything dear Katherine."

She called to his retreating back, "A knife will do just fine." Jackson chuckled again without turning around. He left Katherine seething. There had not been sufficient time for Katherine to become frightened. Once the others arrived fear would begin to seep into her mind. Daily Jackson would worry her more as his insanity became clearer to her. For now anger held her in its grip.

Zack and Henry rode into Jackson's camp leading the horses behind them with the women sitting astride. Each woman had their hands tied as well as a blind fold. The blindfolds had been an added security precaution. If they could not see they would be less likely to take it into their heads to bolt with the horse if the opportunity arose.

"It is about damn time the two of you arrived. Why the hell did you bring them all? I said one. I only needed one," Jackson roared at the incompetent fools.

"Boss you know'd I don't kill women. Zack might but not me. Blame me. He woulda done it but I said no. Sides we can have a little fun along the way. Those two squaws look mighty fine."

"Jackson? Thank God it's you. Tell these two idiots to free me. I was not supposed to be involved beyond my part. I did as you asked me to now let me go," Christine pleaded to deaf ears.

"Christine you were not supposed to be there when they took Katherine. You put yourself in this position. I am sorry, truly I am but I cannot now let you go. No, I suppose now your fate is in the hands of Zack and Henry. I have no further need of you. You are expendable my dear just as poor Lydia and Daniel were expendable." Glancing at his pocket watch in the light from the fire he said conversationally, "I suppose just about now Lydia and Daniel are receiving their visitors. Of course they will not know until they feel the blade slicing along their throats. Can't have loose ends running about."

"You…you killed them?" Christine asked incredulously.

"I did no such thing. I simply provided the instruments of their end not the mechanics for it. That pleasure has been handed down to a couple of men who are quite good at what they do. I provided them with enough incentive to leave the state and never return."

"You are crazy. I insist you release me and stick to our bargain." Christine shook her tied hands out in front of her demandingly.

"Do you hear that gentlemen? The lady demands I free her. I suppose she is used to men scurrying about to comply with her every whim. Dear Christine I hate to be the one to disappoint you but to me you are worth less than Zack or Henry. They are still useful, you are not."

If Zack or Henry had the brains of a donkey they would have paid attention to Jackson's words and realized that to him they too were expendable after their usefulness had come to an end. They did not understand the veiled threat beneath Jackson's words as they were intent on their captives. Zack and Henry were all but salivating.

"Gentlemen I suggest you rein in your carnal desires for tonight. You will need your rest as we will be starting early in the morning."

When they continued to look at him as if he spoke a foreign language Jackson sighed in disgust to explain, "You will not be fucking anyone tonight. I suggest you both rest instead of fucking the night away. We will leave at first light which according to my watch is in about three hours."

As Jackson walked toward the wagon he wondered why he always had such morons around him. Perhaps it could be because the type of people he needed to carry out the less savory deeds were not exactly well educated people. Frank he supposed would be as close to an educated man as Jackson had in his employ. Frank had gone to school as far as the sixth grade. His schooling ended when he ran away from home.

Jackson climbed into the wagon. His heart began to pound in his chest as he contemplated simply lying beside Katherine. His hands trembled with the need to touch her. Perhaps he might allow himself a little exploration. He need not go too far. He wanted just a taste of what would be his reward at the end.

When Jackson began to remove his shirt, Katherine's eyes widened in shock just before she rolled to her side away from him. She closed her eyes tightly praying he would not do anything that would shame her in her own eyes or Erik's.

Hoping to distract him with conversation Katherine asked, "Did I hear a woman's voice? Did you kidnap someone else?"

Jackson did not reply until he lay down beside Katherine. Straining every muscle she tightened and pulled away from him as far as she could. He pulled her back so she lay flush against his torso. Katherine could feel his arousal poking into her badkside. She blushed even as she prayed that this did not mean what she thought it might.

"I suppose I might as well tell you for you will learn soon enough anyway, Zack and Henry brought a few extra guests along. Christine, those two squaw friends of yours and the pregnant friend I believe you call Meg."

_**Oh God what would he do with them, to them?**_ Katherine had come to understand that perhaps Jackson was not entirely stable.

Jackson had been expecting only one hostage not four. Christine being one of them had been fortuitous. Once he had time to consider things he had known he could not leave her alive to spill her guts when pressured. He had already made his mind up to hire someone to rid him of another loose end.

"It had not been my intention to take her as I did agree she could remain free after she had played her part in my plan. If she had not been in the room when Zack and Henry took the others she would not now be in this tenuous position."

"I think you might appreciate knowing that neither Daniel nor Lydia will be causing you any upset anymore. They will have been taken care of by now. Could I perhaps get a kiss in gratitude?"

Katherine lay motionless and speechless. Her brain tried to absorb the information it had received. The process from first hearing the information to any sort of response probably lasted only a few seconds. Katherine knew she should feel something hearing about her father's murder but only felt worry for those who were in danger now.

Jackson pulled her even closer to him. She could feel his hardened manhood pressing against her backside even more demanding than before. Her face flamed as she realized he had no clothing on between them. Her heart began to beat in an ever increasing rhythm as she contemplated what he might do.

She began to struggle when she felt his hand raising the skirt of her dress. When she felt his hand between her thighs she clamped her legs together. Katherine writhed around trying to avoid that questing hand.

"Now, now Katherine, be nice. You wouldn't want anything to happen to one of those pretty little women friend's of yours would you? I did instruct them to leave them alone for tonight but that can be changed." Jackson waited for a response. He felt Katherine relax the muscles in her legs. Katherine tried to think of something she might do to diasble Jackson for a moment until she could perhaps escape.

"That's better Katherine. I can make it good for you. I am not like most men Katherine. I have…special needs and talents. There are more ways to make love than the conventional positions. I suppose Mr. Fontaine has initiated you into many of those already. But let us not discuss that topic. I would rather forget that he had you first. I should have taken you the first night I watched your house when you came back. Being a gentleman I thought I would woo you first then marry before we were intimate. When I learned of your association with Erik, yes I do know his first name, well when I knew he had you first I almost gave in and killed him then. You should be thanking me that I allowed you to have all those months with him."

Katherine tried to mentally remove herself from what he did next. She felt him ripping her undergarment. When it had been torn enough to lower it Jackson put his hand between her thighs to touch her intimately. When his fingers entered her intimately Katherine nearly cried out at the pain. He was not gentle as Erik had been. He cared nothing for her or her pleasure. She prayed she could reach some small part of Jackson that still held honor.

"Please do not do this. Please I beg of you. I do not love you. Please. I love only Erik. I will always love Erik. I hate you." To her horror Katherine began to sob as she pleaded for mercy. Jackson had gone beyond hearing her pleas as he sought to release the tight coil that had him in its grip. In desperation she reared her head back trying to knock into him hoping she could perhaps disable him. Her head connected with his shoulder in a star producing thud to herself. She nearly passed out while Jackson only became angry.

"You should not have done that Katherine. I had been willing to even ignore you throwing that French freak in my face. I tried to be nice. I would have given you pleasure. Now I see you must be taught who is in charge. This will hurt and I am sorry for that but you brought it on yourself."

Angrily Jackson turned Katherine to her stomach. Raising her dress to her hips he grabbed his manhood to guide him into Katherine. With one hard plunge Jackson entered Katherine in a way that not even Erik had done. She screamed and begged him to stop. He had gone too far to listen to her. His only thought at that moment centered on his own pleasure. He grunted and groaned as time after time he pushed into Katherine as she screamed and begged him to stop over and over.

As Katherine resisted that brought Jackson's pleasure to a higher threshold when he hit her over and over. With every downward push into her Katherine felt Jackson hitting her with his fist. She did not see a human raping her. Anything that had once been human in Jackson had been taken over by the demon who took her so violently.

Fawn and Dove clutched at one another. Tears streamed down their faces. Shutting their eyes they began to chant. They prayed for Katherine as they prayed for themselves. Looking at one another they prayed they were present when either Erik or Matthew found Jackson. They did not know about Erik but once Matthew set out on a quest he did not stop until it had been resolved to his satisfaction.

Matthew had ways of torturing a man without even touching him. All he had to do was wait for the ants to slowly ear away at the man buried in the anthill or watch as the circling vulture one by one came in to feast on the prey that might or might not be quite dead.

Meg and Christine held one another in a similar fashion. Even though Meg knew of Christine's part in all this she had to cling to someone. She could not make it through on her own. Especially now. She had felt a tightening across her belly with a pain in her lower back. She prayed she had not started labor pains as she had not been due for another three weeks.

With each of Katherine's screams the four women clung tighter to one another. All they could do was pray for it to be over. At last after what had seemed like eternity all had returned to quiet.

"Hey Henry, it ain't right the boss gets his jollies while we have to sit and listen. Ain't right I tell you."

"Well if you feel brave enough to go agin him be my guest. Don't think I won't be dreamin' about fuckin' one of them pretty little squaws. You might want to lay your bedroll a bit from mine. No tellin' what I might grab during a wet dream." Henry laughed loudly at his own crude prediction.

"You lay one finger on me Henry and I'll kick your ass from here to Kansas."

Before Henry could reply they heard Jackson climbing out of the wagon. Zack dug his elbow into Henry's side. Jackson stepped down with his shirt unbuttoned. Once his feet were flat on the ground he began to button it once again. When he had completed his task he went to the barrel of water strapped to the side of the wagon. Lifting the lid he used the ladle hanging on the side of the barrel to dip out a ladleful of water. He drank a little then dumped the rest over his head.

Jackson felt angry with himself. He had been far rougher than he had intended. All the blame could be firmly placed at Katherine's feet. He had been willing to give her pleasure as well as take his own. She had forced the issue. It was all her fault.

Jackson went to the back of the wagon to call inside, "Come out Katherine. There is fresh cold water. You need to tend to yourself."

When she made no answer or moved to comply with his command Jackson threatened, "Shall I let Zack and Henry choose one of your friends Katherine? The one with child does not look well at all. She might become a burden. One I might not have mercy to keep with us." He smiled in satisfaction when he heard her moving. She would soon learn that compliance won rewards and disobedience and obstinacy only received punishment.

Jackson had untied Katherine once he had finished with her. She had lain beneath him as still and quiet as if death had come to her. When Jackson had looked into her eyes she had seemed to stare as vacantly as one of those dead gunfighters that people displayed in fairs or in front of the undertakers. Katherine's eyes had that same dead look.

Katherine shakily pulled herself up. Swaying she walked the few steps to the opening in the back of the wagon. The ground suddenly seemed miles away rather than the few feet she knew it to be. For a moment she thought about launching herself into Jackson. If she were alone she might have done it but there were others he could take out his anger on.

Climbing out she let go to fall to the ground. When Jackson's hand suddenly came into her vision Katherine shrank away from him. It shamed her to fear his touch but she could do nothing to control her reaction. All her strength seemed to have been drained. She felt empty inside. Her whole body felt dirty, soiled, on the inside as well as the outside. She was an unclean person no longer worthy of Erik's regard.

Struggling to her feet Katherine determinedly stood. Once her face could clearly be seen the women gasped in horror. Katherine's lip had been split where Jackson had ground his lips against hers and from his teeth biting her lip when she refused to let him place his tongue in her mouth for one last kiss when he had finished seeking his pleaure. There were bruises on her neck as well.

Katherine raised a hand to her hair to push away the strands that had come loose in the struggle. Her wrists had rope burns that were beginning to bruise. Her neck and chin had a hand print from Jackson forcing her head back to accept his kiss. Their was a darkening bruise on her cheek just under her right eye. She had bruises that lay hidden under her clothing.

If the others could have seen into Katherine's mind they would have known that the worst damage had been done inside. Where once had beat the proud heart of a warrior now only a shell, a mere shadow of who she once had been showed in her dull lifeless eyes. She did not even have enough left of herself to feel hatred burning in her heart. She felt nothing emotionally. For once she had been glad to feel nothing. When feeling returned she would want to die.

Katherine limped and staggered the few steps to the water barrel. She felt pain in places a woman should not have pain. If she had looked she would see blood for sure. She did not even care to know.

Once Katherine had taken a drink she returned to the wagon as Jackson instructed. What difference did it make? If he came to her again what difference would it make to anything that happened before or anything that would happen in the next minute or tomorrow? Nothing mattered any more. Nothing. To have Jackson kill her would be a mercy, a kindness. If she could not kill him maybe she could kill herself.

This night began a journey from which none would return the same person who had attended the gay party. They felt they had descended into hell. Indeed there next few weeks would be a living hell for all.

**A/N: Angsty enough yet? It will get a lot worse before it gets better so buckle up before the roller coaster begins its ride once more.**


	82. Chapter 81

**A/N: Goodness, so much has happened since I posted last. My elecric went out for six days. We just got it back today. Many are still without it. We had a generator but couldn't get any cable or internet. We shared our generator with our soneand his family and let the lady down the road brought her food from her freezer down to ours. We didn't get hit as bad as Texas but near enough. Hundreds of trees were uprooted and thrust into homes, cars and powerlines. A water main broke on a major highway and left many without even water. We had our generator and camper so we did okay. Even with the hardship we were blessed. Hope everyone I correspond with is okay. So here is another chapter finally now that I have my internet back. Hope it was worth the wait. Enjoy.**

**Chapter Eighty-one**

**Rise of the Warrior**

The men rode all night. Once the sun came up Matthew looked for any signs Katherine may have left and tracks from the wagon just in case he could not find anything from Katherine. Lately there had been so many wagons going through here it was hard to read the tracks from just one even with Matthew and Erik's trained eyes. The trail had too many wagon marks and prints of horses to tell who or how many had traveled this way.

With a wagon they only had a few choices to travel. There were mountainous passes that a wagon could not travel. Parts of the river were far too deep and the current too swift to safely cross with a wagon.

They would have to search the possible routes one by one eliminating them one at a time. Matthew hoped Katherine had regained her wits enough to leave him a trail. He had no way of knowing how much they had given her of the drug or what exactly it had been.

Gauging by the sun coming up Matthew's best guess was it had been about twelve hours since Katherine had been taken. Jackson would have to stop just as Matthew and the others did. If Matthew kept everyone moving at a steady pace they could ride longer as the horses would not be as tired.

If they searched in ten mile squares it would for certain lead to some sign but it would also take twice as long as following tracks he could read.

Calling a halt Matthew declared they needed to rest the horses as well as themselves. Erik sat astride his horse looking off into the distance as if he could see Katherine with his eyes and not just in his mind. His gut told him they were traveling in the right direction. It was as if Katherine called to him in whispers she had left behind as she traveled along. He at last swung his leg over the saddle to loosen the cinch to give Mephistopheles a rest before they had to continue.

Erik had been quiet which worried Nadir and Darius. They needed his skills from before, but now was not the time for the full force of the Phantom to return. A devious and clever Erik could be managed. Add murderous and vengeful, Erik could become unstable.

They may not have worried so much if they had been privy to Erik's own thoughts. He knew himself too well to let his darker half have free reign. Since daybreak when they had let the horses rest while they grabbed a quick meal he had been reaching down drawing to the surface just enough of his old persona to do what had to be done. Now he would clear his mind and search for all those skills he had buried deep within him. He would call to the Phantom but Erik would be in control.

He would not act with only vengeance. He would be cunning. In order to save Katherine he had to wipe all thoughts from his mind concerning what might be happening. To delve into that pit would put him asunder with agony and grief. Those emotions could be unleashed when he had Katherine back. Then he could think and deal with what had or had not occurred.

One thing had been crystal clear. When he had made certain Katherine and the others were safe he would take his time ending Jackson's life. His mind sifted through so many painful ways to torture a man yet let him live. He would not of course be letting Jackson live for long. Just long enough for Erik to satisfy himself that he had given Jackson just a little payback. Erik wanted Jackson to pay for all the suffering he had been dealing with since he had learned Katherine had been taken and by whom.

The men saddled up once again not wanting to waste anymore daylight. The search continued.

At first light Jackson had woken everyone so that breakfast could be cooked and eaten. He could be fairly certain they would not be able to track him but he wanted to make sure. He would have to leave the marked road today in order to head northwest to his property. That would make his trail easier to track.

Meg had been quiet all morning. She did not want to worry the others. She had also been concerned what they might do if they thought she might slow them down.

Katherine sat staring off into the distance. Her face held no expression. Fawn and Dove knew that look well. The women of their tribe had that same lost empty look after the white men had attacked them.

Not only did they have to worry about Katherine but Meg did not look well at all. She had been holding her side and the lower part of her stomach. She had not said anything but they thought she might be in the early stage of labor.

They fried the bacon, eggs and potatoes. Two pots of coffee had been drunk. Jackson seemed not to be worried about Matthew or Erik. This they decided would be to their advantage. The more he underestimated his opponents the more they would gain in advantage.

Meg suddenly collapsed, falling to her knees clutching her belly with both hands. She rocked back and forth as she groaned.

Christine saw Meg fall. Dropping the hot pot of coffee just shy of Zack's lap she ran to Meg. Dropping to her own knees Christine wrapped her arm around Meg's shoulders letting Meg take her hand to squeeze as pain ripped through her back and abdomen. Christine laid her hand on Meg's stomach. She could feel the tightening beneath her hand. She had watched Raoul do this many times when a mare had been about to drop a foal. She did not know why he did it or why she did it. It just seemed better than feeling useless doing nothing.

Of all the regrets Christine had, the one that nearly killed her, was knowing but for her Meg would be at home safe with Nadir instead of out in the middle of the prairie about to give birth with no doctor or any medicine of any kind.

What did women do when having a baby? Christine knew the concept but had never really thought about how one delivered a baby or all it entailed.

"What's the matter with her? Is she ill? If she is ill she is of no use to me. She will only slow us down. Let her get up. If she can't make it up on her own we leave her here. If she is lucky maybe someone will come along and pick her up.

Henry snorted and muttered, "Not likely." He did not cotton to this kind of thing at all. A little fun was one thing. Leaving a woman about to birth a kid, well that just weren't right. No, weren't right atall.

"Do you have something you wish to share Henry? Some objection or solution?"

"None boss. None atall."

"Leave a canteen. See I am not completely without feelings. Now let's pack up and move on." Jackson considered the matter settled. Within a few hours the woman would be food for the animals of the prairie.

"No." Everyone stilled as they heard the low growl from Katherine. She sounded quite commanding with just that one word.

Katherine had been listening to all the chatter around her. Slowly last night on into the early hours of the morning her spirit had been reborn. She still felt unclean but she would not let Jackson win everything. She would fight with what little she had. What she could not do with muscle she would accomplish with cunning and skill. She must begin to leave little clues for Matthew. She could not leave anything too obvious. She could do this. First she had to get Meg and the others away from Jackson. Once they were gone she could focus on escape and leaving a trail.

"So you have decided to speak after all. Well Katherine let's hear what you have in mind. Keep it brief as we have a schedule to keep." Jackson felt a false sense of triumph. He thought Katherine speaking meant he had won. Therefore he could afford to be generous.

"Let them go. You do not need them. You have me. I will do whatever you want without any complaints. I will cause you no more trouble."

Jackson stood looking at Katherine's upturned face. She seemed to be genuine. She looked directly at him with not once darting her eyes away. He could not let them all go. Once he did that he would have no leverage over Katherine. He could compromise. He would keep one. One had been his original plan anyway.

"I will release all but one. Discuss it amongst yourselves which one will stay. By the time we are ready to move on I will expect an answer. If not I will choose on my own."

The men left the women to clear away the mess as they tried to decide which one would be staying.

"Meg cannot stay. He would not let her. I…I will stay." Fawn would rather chew locoweed than stay here but someone had to and Dove would not survive if one of those men touched her. Christine…well Christine was not anyone they could depend on.

Christine put her hand on Fawn's arm as she prepared to rise so she could inform them that she would be staying. "No, let me. This, this is partially my fault. I have done nothing but cause everyone trouble. If anyone deserves to be with that madman it is me. Please let me do this. I know it is not much but it is all I can offer at the moment."

"Christine if you stay you must listen to me. You must follow my instructions to the letter. I will be going back. I will not let that man be my destiny. Do anything to cross me and I will kill you myself. Do you understand? If you stay we are in this together. We must do all that we can to survive. Whatever it takes we will survive. I will see Erik again." Katherine's resolve had regained a little momentum with a purpose to focus on instead of the dishonor Jackson had delivered to her.

Christine dropped her head in shame. Katherine was such a strong person. Even after what had happened last night Katherine had rallied to come out as strong if not stronger than before.

With a new determination Christine lifted her head to state firmly, "I will stay and do what needs to be done. I…I owe this to you and to Erik. Just tell me what to do."

"Are you sure about this Christine? Once they are released there will be no going back. We will be in this until the end. Either the others catch up and rescue us or I kill Jackson or he kills me. I will not be a captive for eight more years."

Christine had given her promise. Jackson had been surprised that Christine had been the one to stay. He would have bet money she would have thrown a fit to see the others leave while she had to stay and face an uncertain future.

Jackson now patted himself on the back for doing a good deed. Surely that would earn him some points from Katherine. He could just as well have killed those he did not need. If he could have accomplished that without Katherine learning of the deed he would have.

Zack and Henry knew there chance to have some fun would dwindle with those two squaws leaving. Zack wanted his promised squaw fuck.

He nudged Henry. Whispering in his ear Henry smiled when he heard what Zack had to say. He quickly glanced around. Jackson had gone to the river perhaps to bath. That man took more baths in one week than most took in a year.

The two men approached the women who were tied at their hands and feet.

"Which one you want Zack. See I'll be generous and let you have first choice. Makes no difference to me. They are all the same between their legs."

"Well in that case I kinda like this one. She seems a bit more spunky than that shy little one there." Zack ran his hand down Fawn's body. She tried to pull away from him. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder to take her into the brush.

Fawn kicked as best as she could and beat on his back with her hands curled into fists. The rope around her wrist cut into her skin with the violent movement.

Once Zack had Fawn in the brush Henry licked his lips in anticipation as he looked at Dove. Katherine threw herself against him. When he staggered to his feet Henry hit Katherine with the back of his hand. She did not loose consciousness but she did see stars.

Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth Henry pulled Dove roughly to her feet. He did not go as far as Zack into the bushes. The women could see him as he threw Dove down on the ground. He unbuckled his belt and dropped his trousers. They looked away at that moment.

Once his trousers were around his ankles Henry kneeled down the lowered himself on top of Dove. He worked his hand between them grabbing onto his manhood. Dove began to squirm and lift her shoulders up trying to hinder Henry from accomplishing his objective.

Dove heard a few grunts and groans then the man dropped down onto her heavily. She felt his hot breath in her ear. His breath smelled extremely foul. Dove almost gagged. Was he finished? Was that it? Dove could only pray the man had been so excited he had completed his pleasure without having to enter her in any manner.

He scrambled up from on top of her. His face looked as if he had too much sun.

"If'n you tell one soul about this I'll…well I'll let Zack have a go at you. Understand? Not one word. We'll wait here a bit. Can't go back too soon."

Dove nodded her head grateful that he had not done anything but soil her dress.

Zack was intent on enjoying his little Indian squaw. He'd heard they knew what was what. After dropping her to the ground he hastily unfastened his trousers.

The little she devil turned over and tried to crawl away. Zack didn't mind this way once in a while but when he did this one he wanted to see her face. It had been a while since he or Henry had a woman. The price of whores kept going up all the time. Wasn't cheap like a few years ago. Some charged as much as ten dollars now.

Zack pulled Fawn back by her ankles laughing as he did so. He liked a bit of fight in his women. He turned her over then pinned her with his body.

Roughly he kissed Fawn pushing with his tongue against her lips. She jerked her head to the side. As his lips tried to capture hers Fawn felt his hand unbuckling his belt. A picture of Raoul flashed into her head. She could never face him again it this man took her.

When next Henry tried to force his tongue into Fawn's mouth she bit down as hard as she could. She felt the gush of blood in her mouth almost making her ill.

Henry jerked back from Fawn letting out a loud yell that would have alerted anyone within a mile radius that there was someone in pain on the prairie.

Meanwhile Jackson had just been coming back from a leisurely bath and relieving a couple of bodily functions. When he got back he cursed. Both Henry and Zack were gone as were the two squaws.

He had just been going to ask where they were when he heard the most earsplitting yell. He ran in the direction the sound came from.

He found Zack on his knees with his trousers down and his manhood dangling down between his legs. He had his hands over his mouth. Blood was gushing out through his fingers.

"What the hell happened? Didn't I tell you this would have to wait?"

"The bitch bit me. You was sending them home. When would me and Henry get our fun?"

"Well I hope you enjoyed this little exchange. We need to pack up and move on. There are plenty of women in town to sooth you. Forget this squaw. Don't suppose that will happen until your wound heals some." Jackson sounded far too pleased over Zack's injury for his liking. If Jackson wouldn't kill him he'd slit the bitches throat right now.

As it was he had to carry her back and look everyone in the eye with blood all over his hands and face. When the others saw the blood he knew by their reaction that they thought he had murdered the bitch. Served them right to have a few worried moments.

Henry would not look him in the eye. When he asked how his squaw was he mumbled something like "fine". When Zack caught sight of the mess on that squaw, Dove's dress he nearly pissed his pants laughing. When Henry slyly asked how his own little love nest had been that shut Zack up. They began to break camp.

In whispers Dove and Fawn each told the tale of what had happened in the bushes. All those years wondering what went on in the bushes had not been anything like what they had imagined.

When they had packed everything up Jackson told the three who would be leaving to be ready to mount in five minutes.

Zack brought three horses for the women to mount. Meg could not mount a horse in the condition she found herself in now. She had been barely holding herself upright with Fawn and Dove's help.

"Meg cannot ride a horse. She must have something to lie down on."

"Katherine, do not try my patience. I have been more than generous. She will either ride or stay here. It does not matter to me at all. We will be leaving shortly so get back in the wagon. Enough time has been wasted with all of this nonsense."

Katherine searched the area to see if anything could be used as a sled. She saw nothing. Her eyes going to the wagon an idea struck her.

"The bed. We can take the bed out and knock the legs off. You can use the rope you tied me with to use as pull ropes for the bed."

Without waiting for a reply or consent Katherine ran to the wagon with Fawn right behind her. Between the two of them they striped the sheets and blankets then heaved mightily on the bed to get it out of the wagon. They were both sweating and panting but they had made it.

Fawn jumped to the ground. Turning she offered Katherine her hand. She knew Katherine had to be hurting. From the screams they had heard they had known he had hurt Katherine other than just mentally. The bruising and split lip was proof enough of how rough Jackson had treated Katherine when she had been bound by her hands and feet with no way to defend herself.

Katherine could not look into Fawn's gentle eyes. If she saw the sympathy in them she would break. Right now she had to be strong. God only knew what more she would have to endure at the hands of Jackson.

The four women made quick work of dismantling the wooden bed. Ignoring Jackson's censorious glare, Katherine removed two blankets and stuffed some hard tack into a saddle bag. She gave them two canteens.

Christine and Katherine helped Meg onto the stretcher. She seemed to be in greater pain. Covering her with blankets Christine kissed Meg's hand and squeezed it as she said, "Do not worry Meg. Dove and Fawn will take good care of you. You will see Maman before you know it." She did not know if she believed her own words but could hope they were true.

"Make sure you stay on the road. Follow it back. Someone may come along if God has any mercy for any of us. Do not stray from the road." Katherine hoped Erik and the others were not far behind. Meg had a few hours at most. Katherine knew Jackson would be leaving the road. From now on Katherine would have to be sure to leave a trail for Matthew, one not detectable by Jackson and the others.

As soon as Meg and the others were gone Jackson climbed on the front of the wagon. He had tethered his horse to the back of the wagon. He would be riding on the seat in front of the wagon. He could keep a better watch on Katherine from that position as she sat inside the wagon. He had granted her the privilege of not being bound. If either she or Christine caused trouble he had warned they would be bound for the rest of the trip.

By mid afternoon Meg had grown tired from fighting the pain. She worried about delivering her baby out in the middle of some Godforsaken place with civilization miles away. She wanted Nadir. He would know what to do.

Dove and Fawn stopped every now and then to check on Meg. They had removed her undergarments. Using the water sparingly they wiped her face. She did not have long before the baby would come.

Neither of them had ever been present when a baby had been born. For an Indian woman it would not be unnatural to deliver a baby off somewhere in the weeds by oneself if need be. A woman delivered her baby, did what needed to be done, then rejoined her people who would sometimes be moving on leaving her to catch up with them. It was not that they did not care it simply was the way it had to be. It is as it has always been. If they were encamped then the women would tend to the one in labor. When they were on the move things were harder on the women.

Erik wanted to ride hell for leather until they caught up with Jackson. Matthew had made him see that they must watch for any sign of a wagon leaving the road if one could call ruts in the grass a road.

The sun was just overhead in early afternoon when they saw movement ahead of them. Matthew narrowed his eyes praying he was not just seeing what he wanted to see and that up ahead was indeed what looked like women on horseback. He thought one looked like Fawn. The other had looked over her shoulder toward the sled behind them.

The one he thought to be Fawn gestured toward Matthew and the others. Only a second later she had kicked her horse into a gallop. As the rider got closer Matthew knew for certain it was Fawn.

He kicked his own mount into a gallop to meet her. The others followed suit. When Matthew came within a few feet of Fawn he reined his horse in. Jumping from the saddle he ran to her. Fawn leaned to the side falling into Matthew's waiting arms. He hugged her tightly as his throat clogged with tears that he would not let fall.

"Sister it is so good to see you. I am so glad to see you." Setting her away from him Matthew looked her over with a critical eye. He could see no sign of injury.

Looking over her shoulder Matthew could only see Dove and someone on the sled. He took the few steps he needed to see who lay upon that sled. One look at Meg and he knew she needed assistance immediately.

By this time the others had reached them and dismounted. Coming to the sled shock seemed the immediate reaction. Nadir quickly kneeled down taking Meg's hand.

"Oh my precious love. I am so glad to have you back. We will get through this together." Nadir kissed the back of her hand as he used his other hand to brush back the hair from her sweating forehead.

"It hurts Nadir. I have tried hard to be brave. I have not cried or whimpered. I wanted you to be proud of me."

"Meg love I am proud of you. Scream until you have no voice left if that is what you need to do. Hell I will scream along with you if that will help."

"The others, where are they? Where is Katherine? Please tell me. What has happened to Katherine?" Erik wanted to shake one of them until they told him what he wanted to know. When they spoke to Matthew in their own language then Matthew's face clouded over with anger Erik knew it would not be anything good he would be hearing. His only hope at that moment was that she remained alive.

Erik wanted to barely refrained from shaking Fawn until she told him what he needed to know. Matthew must have read the intent in his eyes for he wrapped Fawn more protectively in his arms while he sent dire warnings with his eyes in Erik's direction.

"Tell me Fawn. Tell me everything. I want…no, I need to know everything." Erik knew with every fiber in his being that he would not like what he heard but he had to know.

"Jackson…he…Katherine had been bound at her wrists and ankles. He had her in the back of the wagon. He…he…last night he…he went into the wagon. For a while we heard nothing then we heard Katherine's screams. We could do nothing but listen to her plead for mercy. After a time Jackson came out of the wagon followed shortly thereafter by Katherine." Fawn hated to have to say this next part. She hung her head down not able to look into anyone's eyes as she told them the events that took place since Jackson had entered that wagon.

When she had finished speaking the last word everyone looked toward Erik. This man had no resemblance to the Erik they knew. Raoul, Nadir and Darius knew this man. The rage and fire for revenge burned in his eyes. A deadly calm seemed to herald a storm just making its way to the surface. They did not have long to wait.

Erik let out a bloodcurdling roar. With his fists clenched he raised them toward the heavens swearing before God and man that when he caught Jackson he would send him straight to hell.

Erik strode rapidly toward his horse, anger and the need for revenge powering each step. The darkness had all but consumed him.

Brett could see the hate, rage and vengeance roiling around in Erik's eyes and upon his face. He needed to remind Erik of Katherine's love quickly before Erik lost all rational thought to his need for vengeance.

He knew he took his life in his hands when he grabbed Erik by the arm but it was a risk he had to take. Erik whirled on Brett hitting him with his fist so hard he knocked him backward several feet. Brett fell to the ground. Sitting up he rubbed away the blood from his mouth. Damn if he didn't think Erik had loosened a tooth.

Darius and Raoul grabbed Erik's arms. Erik heaved mightily sending them both to the ground. Erik's strength normally could be said to be formidable but fueled with such fierce emotions such as he felt now he seemed almost invincible. If he could control himself in this state he could be an asset but he did not think beyond killing Jackson Tyler at the moment.

"Erik, stop. Think of Katherine. You heard what Fawn said. Katherine has been thinking clearly. She has regained her will to survive. Give her a chance to lead us to her. Let us save both Katherine and Christine."

Erik leaned his head against his saddle. His chest heaved as he began to calm himself. When Brett could be sure Erik would not try to kill him again Brett placed his hand on Erik's shoulder to turn him so that he could see the truth of Brett's words as he spoke, "Erik we will find them. Katherine will survive. Right now we need you sane and in control. Katherine needs you."

Erik took a deep breath corralling his baser instinct urging him to say to hell with sanity and control. Experience over the last three years had taught him the value of control. He could be just as vengeful and effective if he kept his mind from straying into the darkest corners of his psyche. Once he had made sure Katherine was safe then he could unleash the full power of the Phantom on those men who dared harm her. Jackson would be receiving special attention.

Turning around Erik would have smiled wickedly to see everyone take a step back when he turned to face them if he was not so concerned for Katherine. As it was he could only stare back at them with solemn eyes.

"All right we will do it your way, but understand this, when we find them Jackson is mine. No one will interfere no matter what you may see or hear. Is that agreeable?"

Darius nodded along with the rest of them but he would be meting out his own justice. He may not be as vocal or as demonstrative in his anger but Darius was no less a formidable foe at the moment. His mind raced with all the things he would do to the man who had put that bruise on Dove's arm. She had not said anything but that was Dove's way, quietly suffering. Darius had not missed how she cradled her arm against her chest nor had he missed those quiet looks that passed between Dove and Fawn.

He would ask her to tell him what had happened and who had taken her that night of the party. Dove did not have to know he would be extinguishing the life of that man. Why haul him all the way back to Richmond wasting food on him when he would be tried and hung later? Darius considered he would be doing the taxpayers a service.

After much coaxing Dove and Fawn had told Raoul and Darius what had taken place. Each man mercifully did not have to hear that some man had done the same to them that Jackson had done to Katherine.

Raoul could not say he was a extremely violent man. For most of his life he had used words to settle disputes. The war between him and Erik over Christine had been the only time Raoul had raised a violent hand against another human being. Now he wished he had asked Erik to teach him a few of those methods of torture he had been famous for.

When they discussed things it had been decided that Nadir would escort the women back. He would not be any good to them worrying about Meg and worrying about the baby. Besides a father had a right to be nearby as his wife presented him with a child and Meg had asked for him to stay with her.

They could not spare another man as they did not know how many Jackson had hired to meet with him at the end of his journey. The man they had questioned had said Jackson would be arriving at a home he had built so they imagined he would have many men around to maintain as well as protect what was his.

Nadir assured them he would protect them with his life. Just leave him with a weapon and ammunition and he would fight all comers. He had a child, possibly two, to bring into this world unharmed.

In the distance riders lay down with their horses watching this drama play out. There were only five keeping watch. When they had gathered what information they needed they would rejoin the much larger group. Since yesterday they had picked up the trail of horses keeping steady progress. Keeping just out of sight the unseen watchers stayed close but not too close.

When the time was right they would let it be known they were present. Until then they would remain in the background observing ready to act if needed.

**A/N: Sorry for the angst and drama but it had to happen to move things where we need to be. I promise it will get better just not yet. **


	83. Chapter 82

**A/N: I am feelint good right now as we have our power back and everyone made it alright. Here's a chapter in celebration of things getting back to normal.**

**Chapter Eighty-two**

**Prairie Miracles**

Nadir watched as the others left him with the women. He was indeed torn. He would like to be with the men so that he too might exact a little satisfaction. Meg needed him more than he needed to bolster his manhood. Besides, Erik, Matthew and Darius would deal those men such pain Nadir did not even wish to think of it.

Having made Meg as comfortable as he could Nadir told her that if she needed him to stop all she had to do was let Fawn or Dove know. They would only stop when necessary. He praised Allah he still kept his compass in his pocket.

Erik and Darius had teased him asking if he thought he might get lost in the city going from the theatre to their home. When he saw them he would be sure to make it known how useful his compass had been.

It seemed as if they had only gone a little less than a mile when Fawn and Dove called to him urgently. Riding back quickly Nadir dismounted. He knelt down taking Keg's hand to comfort her.

He winced when she squeezed tightly. He had forgotten that women in labor at times have the strength of a sideshow strongman. It was fortunate that Nadir did not play the piano or ever intended to learn. He thought for sure Meg had crushed his hand.

When she eased the pressure he removed that hand to place his other hand in hers. Moving the fingers of his abused hand he tested the fingers. Nothing seemed to be broken.

Blushing profusely Meg crooked her finger toward Nadir for him to come closer. When he leant down Meg whispered with tears in her eyes and filling her voice so that she sounded pitiful. "Nadir I feel wet. I…I think I have wet myself."

Nadir sighed in relief. His imagination had been running rampant. Gently in a voice so tender and loving so she would not think he ridiculed her for her ignorance, Nadir told her that it was natural for there to be lots of water as the protection around the baby would not be needed once the baby had been born. That water had surrounded the baby in a cocoon of warm motion as he or she had lain inside Meg.

Standing up Nadir told Fawn and Dove to take over. He would see about getting a fire started and heating some water.

Much to Nadir's consternation Fawn and Dove told him they had never even seen a child being born. The closet they came to birth had been a horse, dog or a buffalo dropping her calf in the open. This would not be like that they were pretty sure. Surely it would be different for a woman?

Nadir looked at Meg who in turn looked back at him with great big trusting eyes. He swallowed down his fear. Meg would need him solid and confident not shaking and quivering like a timid rabbit. He needed to be a lion.

Gathering his wits and his courage he instructed them to light a fire. Boil some water for he would need to sterilize his hands as well as could be in the circumstances. They would be able to lay one of the canteens close to the fire. That was the best they could do.

He asked them to tear off bits of their petticoats to be used as rags. He asked if either of them had a knife. Both women looked at the other. If they had a knife none of this would have happened. Ladies in waiting did not carry knives.

Meg pulled a small knife from between her bosoms. Her three companions stared at her as if she had pulled a machete or sword instead of a small little knife.

"I carry it just in case. Every since we came to America I have carried one. It seems my instincts were right. I just wish I had been able to use on those bas…those men."

Nadir kissed this precious woman who just happened to be his wife. He could not have been prouder than he was at that moment to be her husband. Now they must get on with delivering his child or children.

This next step would be a little disconcerting for Meg and himself as well but that could not be helped. Nadir explained to Meg that her clothing would have to be removed. At least everything below the waist. Her pantalets had already been taken off. Only her layers of petticoats were underneath.

When he explained about how he would need to examine her she blushed with her eyes staring at him in wide-eyed wonder. The doctor of course had examined her and she and Nadir had been intimate, but this, this would be so embarrassing.

Once Meg's pains came closer together and more intense, she cared not who looked at her intimate parts. All her focus had been placed on getting this baby out to relieve herself of this excruciating pain.

Nadir wiped her brow while he talked to her. He asked her all those questions about her life in Paris that he had wanted to ask but had never seemed to find the right moment as their present had been quite exciting lately.

In between pains Nadir would have Meg roll to her side so he could massage her back to ease the ache. He held her hand and spoke soft comforting words so that he kept her mind away from the pain as much as he could.

They discussed names and other bits of nonsense while they waited for the last stage of labor to begin. Meg soon did not even take notice of the times Nadir crouched between her legs with his hands where they had only been when they had been intimate.

When it came time for Meg to push Nadir encouraged her trying not to let his own excitement distract him. He could see the top of a little head with dark hair covering the head in a riot of curls. Nadir felt the sentimental tears coursing down. He rubbed them away with a swipe of his wrist as he used his forearm to remove the sweat beading his brow.

He may not have placed this child in Meg's womb but in every way that counted this tiny life belonged to him as well as Meg. He would be the best damn father he could be. Neither Meg nor his child would want for anything.

The head had cleared the birthing channel now the shoulders were easing out. Nadir asked Meg to breathe easily for a moment then when the next contraction came she must push with all her might.

Feeling the tightening and searing pain beginning Meg gathered her strength and pushed until she felt the release from the pain. Her child had entered the world.

Using the knife Nadir cut the cord between the two places he had tied off the cord with bits of torn fabric from one of the women's petticoats. Nadir quickly cleared away the fluids from the little boy's mouth. After wiping the infant down Nadir wrapped him in some of the remnants of cloth. He raised the child up and before Nadir could tap him on his little behind a loud cry sounded drawing all eyes to that little wiggling bundle.

Reluctantly Nadir placed that tiny bit of humanity down into Meg's waiting arms. Meg only had a moment to enjoy her son when the pains of the delivery of after birth hit.

Now that the pain had ceased to be her focus, Meg's face flamed once more as Nadir cleaned her in an intimate way. Would she ever be able to look him in the eye again? Having him down there during intimacy was one thing but having him down there doing all the things needed to be done to deliver a baby was quite another.

Only a couple of minutes had passed when the new pains began. At first Meg thought something had gone wrong but then Nadir calmed her reminding her that the doctor did tell her that he thought she might be having twins.

_**Oh God**_ Meg thought, _**can I do this again? I feel like a dog delivering a litter of puppies. **_Meg could and did indeed go through another successful delivery. A pink faced little charmer, with curly locks of black hair had entered the world with a high pitched cry. Nadir could not help but stroke that silky soft cheek with his finger. The little girl pursed her mouth sucking in response to that stimulus.

For quite some time they simply adored and cooed over the two infants. They turned away when Meg went to feed them. Meg told Nadir if he wanted he could see his children nurse for the first time. Nadir she considered had seen more intimate things and besides he deserved to see the two lives he brought into the world have their first meal.

Watching one by one Meg feed the babies constricted Nadir's throat. When they latched on and began to suckle Nadir thought there could not be a more beautiful moment in his life. This was what made men seek out their mates. Watching mother and child had to be the most uplifting and satisfying experience a man could have personally.

He had not experienced this with his first wife as it had not been deemed proper. It saddened him that he had been denied those precious moments with his son Riza. He would share in the lives of these two as much as Meg and they would allow him.

He could earn fortunes, have mountains of gold, but to have this made everything complete. This moment he prayed would be something Erik got the chance to experience. A moment like this could wipe away years of emptiness and pain.

On a hill Dove and Fawn saw riders, a band of perhaps twenty or more. A smaller band of four or five joined those riders.

They were sure the ones who watched them from the top of the hill were Indians. Fawn and Dove looked at one another. They knew who watched them. As they looked into the distance on the hill one rider raised his lance. His head was covered in a war bonnet with many feathers. After a moment the riders turned to ride away down behind the crest of the hill out of sight. Dove knew her father had found others of the tribe. He was once again their chief.

Raging Bear wanted to go to his daughter but there could be no family reunion. Soldiers were following him and he had to lose them. It had only been by accident that he had seen the man and the women. The sled being pulled behind the horse had a woman who would give birth soon.

Raging bear and a couple of others had dug pits along the roadway. Crouching down in the pits they used grass to cover them. In this manner they could see who this party was and if they should be of concern to him or not.

He had rejoiced when he saw Dove alive and healthy. Fawn looked well too. He could not speak with her in case the soldiers caught up with him. He thought he could lose them in the canyons many rocky passages. He had been content to see his daughter.

He recognized the man Nadir from Andrew's mother's house. The woman in the sled he did not know.

To further his belief that the spirits were guiding him Black Hawk and four others had caught up with him. He had been on the hillside looking down at his daughter one last time when the others had joined him. Five more skilled braves would always be welcome.

Raging Bear had raised his lance in farewell to his daughter. Perhaps they would meet again some day if the bluecoats did not kill him.

Sadly Fawn and Dove watched Raging Bear and the others leave. To stay too long in one place was to invite trouble.

As Nadir and his band of women traveled he and Meg discussed names. They could not continue to refer to them as sweet baby girl a sweet baby boy.

In the end they decided on Antoinette Katherine Khan for their daughter and Robert Erik Khan for the boy.

Nadir vowed when they made it home he would be locking them into the house and never coming out. Well at least for a week anyway.

**As always I would appreciate a review. Please feel free to leave a comment.**


	84. Chapter 83

**A/N: I just wanted to take the time once again to thank all who read and review. You guys are the best. When I here that ping or go into my e-mails it is so exciting to see the notice for a review. It makes my effort seem worthwhile. In gratitude for your loyalty I will give you this chapter early. Thanks guys, you know who you are. Oh by the way I have all my chapters completed and a reviewer asked where would Nadir and the women sleep so I had to address that issue as I had not done so originally. I added the first bit just before posting. Hope I didn't goof up too badly as I didn't edit it before posting. Please over look any mistakes. Don't hesitate to tell me about them so I can correct them though. **

**Chapter Eighty-three**

**Relentless Pursuit**

Nadir had been a little bit ingenious using what they had to make a shelter for the night. He felt his genius could match Erik's at that moment. The women's appreciation did much for his male pride also.

Using the base of the bed he had found a couple of sturdy sticks to use as poles. He used those to prop up the bed. Using a couple of blankets he made a pallet. They used their saddles as pillows. Fawn and Dove said they needed no blanket as they could cuddle together for warmth. The babies and Meg needed the warmth. Meg would be cold with the loss of blood.

All in all they slept fairly well. When the sun came up they were all ready to once again head out. Meg laid down once more on the makeshift transportation. Her new daughter and son were nestled one on either side of her. Nadir only left her side long enough to ride ahead a little ways to make sure the trail was not too bumpy. He did not want Meg to be jostled as she would still be a little uncomfortable from delivering their children.

Not once when Nadir thought of those infants did he think of them as anything other than his and Meg's babies. They like their mother had him in the palm of their hands willing to do anything they would ask of him.

Once they reached Katherine's they were all surrounded by Gamm and the women in the household. Nadir had been relegated as messenger. Until Meg fully recovered Gamm forbid her to move from the bed. Antoinette and Roberto were welcome to come out and stay if they wished. Gamm was in her eliment, taking care of others and giving orders. No one minded really.

Once Antoinette had her daughter safely back she did not want to leave her alone for one moment. Roberto assured her that Meg would be safe in the bed with Nadir to protect her, had he not only brought his two children into the world but he had brought three women home safely. Surely Antoinette could trust him to take care of her daughter during the night? Antoinette had burst into tears and clung to a helpless Nadir while she had thanked him over and over for her grandchildren's and her daughter's safe return.

Over the next few days both Nadir and Roberto wished for a few more men in the household. They snagged poor Martin for one night but he caught on and refused to answer their call the second and third night. They gave up after that and took the women weeping and laughing in stride. It was somewhat of a rollercoaster ride but well worth this little bit of aggravation for the rewards they reaped.

Once Erik and the others had left Nadir and the women their pace became much faster. Steadily they rode. Not at a full gallop so the horses tired but steady and sure. They would not stop until dark unless they caught up with Katherine and her captors.

Jackson in his arrogance underestimated Erik and the others. He even underestimated his power over Katherine. He thought he had her cowed and beaten. If he would have really looked into her eyes he would have seen the light of determination and hatred burning there. On some level Katherine still held on, by a slender thread but she only needed a small spark to bring back a little of her fire.

Christine he wrote off as a piece of fluff. Normally he would have been correct. Christine's guilt for her part in this mess gave her strength she did not know she possessed. Something deep inside her had risen to give her the courage to do what she must. She thought it felt like that night when she had decided that she must show Erik that she did care for him by giving him a kiss. From somewhere her courage had crawled its way up so that she had been able to embrace him and take his lips with her own. She had never made such a gesture toward even Raoul. In those days Raoul had initiated kisses.

Katherine had told her a few things to do that would leave signs that would not be seen by the normal person but Matthew would know they were signs left by Katherine.

Some of the things Christine did not know if she had the courage to do at all. Her face reddened like a berry when she thought of going into the bushes to do what she must then make sure not to cover the area with grass or any other debris. The freshness would tell Matthew how far ahead they were.

They would also each be picking a handful of grass. They would tie one blade at a time and drop a piece every few yards. Unless one knew what to look for the little blades of grass would blend in with the rest.

When they used the bushes small pieces of cloth would be torn from their petticoats. Little threads would be hooked to pieces of dried grass. Katherine even managed to fashion a woven heart only about two inches but big enough to be seen by even Jackson if he were looking for such things. Katherine tied a piece of her petticoat to the heart then dropped it behind her.

She and Christine were walking beside and just slightly to the back of the wagon. Since Zack and Henry would be there to make sure they did not try to run could they not walk? Katherine had told Jackson the wagon was airless and dust filled the interior at times making it hard to breath.

Jackson had capitulated as they would be stopping soon and he wanted Katherine to be in a good mood tonight. He did not relish hurting her again as he had last night. He felt that if he gave in to a few of her demands she would see life with him would not be so bad. In fact things could be quite pleasant.

Meanwhile Matthew had seen where the wagon had left the trail. Squatting down he found one little blade of grass. Katherine had left him a trail to follow. He now knew to look for the bits of grass tied in a knot.

Erik had been looking for clues too. He found Katherine's heart. He kept this to himself. He did not feel he could share this with anyone. He needed this to place it close to his heart so he could feel Katherine. He had been hearing her whispers in the slight breeze all day. Matthew did not need to tell him they going in the right direction, he knew it as Katherine had been calling to him. It both comforted him and distressed him to hear her and not be able to do anything other than follow behind waiting until they caught up with Jackson. Erik had special plans for Jackson. Jackson would die but not quickly nor mercifully. He would suffer the pain of the damned before Erik allowed him to die. Erik did not care what the others decided on this matter. He would be ending Jackson's life once they found him and he had made sure Katherine was safe.

If Erik found Katherine...he would not allow himself to finish this thought but if she were anything other than breathing Jackson would be suffering for longer than Erik's first inclination. Erik knew ways to torture a man without killing him. He might wish to die but Erik could keep him alive for as long as he wanted. Jacksons end would come without doubt but how and when all depended on how Erik found Katherine.

"They have gone this way," Matthew pointed just to the right of the trail. The wagon would be headed in a general northwesterly direction.

"How can you possibly be able to tell if those tracks belong to Jackson's wagon? Do you have some sixth sense or something?" Raoul asked the question exasperatedly as he felt quit superfluous at the moment. All he seemed good for was keeping his seat and not getting in the way. It was annoying as hell and quite emasculating.

"The grass," Matthew stated matter-of-factly.

"So you can not only see for miles but you can interpret blades of grass as well."

Matthew nudged his horse a little closer to Raoul's. "When it is tied in a knot yes I can read it. I do not know about France but our grass does not grow in knots." Matthew barely kept the smile from his face. He needed this bit of levity to ease his temptation to ride hell for leather. To do so now would not only risk his horse but he might miss something on the trail.

Raoul felt foolish and put in his place. It did not help that Darius laughed silently. He made no sound but his shoulders shook with his silent enjoyment of Raoul's discomfort.

Raoul scowled at Darius as he asked, "Oh and I suppose you knew about the knotted grass oh clairvoyant one. You are as ignorant as I am, so do not pretend otherwise."

"Oh but I am smarter than you Raoul. I did not voice my stupidity for all to hear. By the way I must thank you for getting the answer to the question I dare not ask lest I seem…well lest I seem like you." Darius laughed as he kicked his horse to catch up with the rest of them.

Raoul only a few seconds later set his own mount in motion calling after Darius that he was lower than a snake's belly to which Darius replied Raoul should learn to watch and observe instead of always giving away his ignorance. He should let others wonder if he were ignorant, not speak and let it be known as a fact that he indeed was ignorant.

Raoul and Darius bickered to pass the time. Brett and Hayden just shook their heads and continued on. Erik and Matthew paid them no heed whatsoever. They concentrated on the ground in front of them as well as watching the terrain around them.

Matthew had dismounted every so often to check the area around the trail they were following. He found what had been left in the bushes. It could only be a less than half a day old. He now knew they were only about a half days ride behind Jackson. With luck and pushing their horses to the limit they could catch up with them by nightfall.

Once they headed north the terrain became more hilly and rocky. The grass was not the same as on the open prairie. The mountains were only a few miles away. By early nightfall they had reached the base of the mountains.

Whatever kind providence had been with them earlier had decided to desert them. Black clouds began to roll in. Thunder echoed off the canyon walls. Lightening flashed frightening the horses.

Matthew cursed virulently as did the others as they struggled to keep there mounts from bolting. Hayden and Brett held tightly to the pack horses. They could not afford to lose them or the supplies they carried.

Matthew shouted above the noise of the thunder and lightening. They needed to make camp as quickly as they could. Shouting for them to wait there he rode off into the nearby rocks. His horse picked its way carefully among the stones. Matthew hoped to find a small cave or even an outcropping to shield them from the rain and lightening.

Looking left and right he finally saw a darkened hole. Guiding his horse in that direction he dismounted approaching the cave cautiously. He may not be the only one seeking shelter from the weather. He did not relish an attack by a mountain lion.

Standing in the opening ready with his knife to fend off an attack he relaxed when nothing happened. Remounting he rode back to the others to so that he might lead them to their shelter for the night.

When he returned Erik protested that they should carry on. He did not want to think of what Jackson would do to Katherine during the night. What he imagined already ate away at his mind and churned his stomach. If he sat still with nothing to do he would go crazy. His hand had contiuously sought out that little grass heart throughout the day. It gave him a little comfort but not enough. He wanted Katherine in his arms and safe.

Matthew at last convinced him it would be wiser to travel by daylight. They could not risk a horse going lame with a sprain or worse a broken leg.

Besides Matthew thought to himself the rain would have washed away any trail Katherine had left. Instinct would be all they had to guide them at this moment.

Once they had unloaded all the supplies and brought it into the cave they covered the horses with slickers to keep them dry. The humans would be dry inside the cave.

Matthew lit a fire and Darius fried the bacon. Brett made coffee. Erik could cook but did not unless he had to. The other two confessed they would burn water if they were allowed near a stove, God only knew what would happen with an open fire.

Since Raoul and Hayden did not cook they sorted through the bedrolls and miscellaneous articles they had brought inside. The dynamite Erik carried to the far corner of the cave well away from the fire.

When the meal had been eaten Matthew told them he would be making a sweat lodge. They were welcome to join him. When they asked what it was and its purpose Matthew explained as best he could so they would understand.

Normally a sweat lodge would be built of hides tossed over branches that had been lashed together. Sometimes they would even be made of hardened earth that had been molded into blocks. There were many ways to construct one. Hides happened to be his preference. Since they did not have hides he would use the blankets. A fire would be built with rocks placed in it to allow them to heat. When the rocks were red hot the fire was allowed to die down. Water would be poured over the hot rocks causing steam. It would be usual to fast before entering the lodge but they did not have time for that. All clothing must be removed. Sitting around the steaming stones a man must then clear his mind of everything. Sometimes peyote was used. Matthew had used it once and did not like how it made him feel. They did not have a supply anyway and the cactus it came from did not grow in this area. So they would have to rely on their own ability to free their minds.

Matthew constructed his lodge with the help of the others. He doused the fire having heated the rocks. Once everything had been completed he shed his clothes. He paid no attention to the others. His mind had already begun to clear of every thought.

Watching Matthew the others quickly averted their eyes. Each man wondered if he dared brave exposing himself to the others. Erik had been the next to shed his clothes. He even discarded his mask. For Katherine he would go to hell and back. Shedding his clothes and his mask were small things compared to what he knew he would face later or what his sweet Katherine faced tonight. Gradually the others followed suit.

They sat quickly, everyone careful to keep their private things private behind folded hands. Once seated they gratefully closed their eyes. Everyone began to sweat. Rivulets trickled down their bodies.

Erik sat with his hands resting at the wrist on his knees just as Matthew had been. He cleared his mind of every thought. One at a time he let all thoughts slip away just as one part of him at a time completely relaxed. His ears began to roar as if he were by the sea or the sound one hears when immersed in water.

Erik heard a soft voice calling urging him to find his way to her. He thought for a moment it was Katherine but the scent tingling in is nose did not belong to Katherine. As sudden as a summer storm it came to him. Susan. He could feel that familiar warmth surrounding him that he always got when he held that feather or thought of her.

"Erik? I am here Erik." Her voice was soft and gentle. She sounded happy.

Erik could not see her but he could hear her and feel her all around him. Her voice sounded sort of echoing around him. She seemed not to come from any one place in particular.

He knew this must be a dream. He had felt Susan before but never really heard her other than that one time in the cemetery.

"Do not worry Erik. Your Katherine will survive. She will not give her mind or soul over to him. He may have her body but he will never have her heart or mind. She may lose her way for a time but she will overcome her fears. You have chosen well my love."

"Erik you never really failed me. It was I who created things in my mind to suit myself. You were not ready for what I wanted. No one can plan who they will love or when. It simply was not our time. Can you forgive me Erik for leaving you with such a burden? I took the coward's way out. My living or not was never your responsibility. It had always been up to me to decide to fight for life or give in to my darkness. I will keep a vigil over you Erik. I am your guardian angel. Imagine me, an angel. I must go. Take heart Erik you will prevail."

"Oh, one thing more Erik, did it not strike you as strange that a white eagle's feather came to you that day in the cemetery? You were destined for Katherine Erik. She is who you were meant to have. Take heart Erik. When all seems lost use your love for Katherine to guide you not what your mind tells you to do. She will need your strength and understanding Erik. I really am glad for you Erik. Remember trust in your love."

Erik heard no more after her last word faded away. His senses began to clear. What he had imagined had to have been conjured by his mind. It could not be real. He continued to sit and meditate even after his mind had begun to have normal thoughts filtering into it. One of his first recollections of what he had just heard had been Susan's incredulity that she was an angel. Erik could have countered that he could not believe he of all people had a guardian angel. In the silence he meditated on all that his imagination had Susan telling him.

Matthew had been walking for quite some time enjoying the peace around him. Ahead of him the sunlight shimmered. A wavering figure walked toward him.

He could tell by the shape that it was a woman. As she came closer he saw that she looked strikingly similar to Katherine. In all the years Matthew had meditated before battles or just to find answers to troubling problems, he had never seen the vision of a woman. That his first looked so much like Katherine had to be an omen. He stood waiting for her to come to him and speak.

Amelia stood in front of this tall man who had grown to love her daughter as he did his own sister. Katherine returned his regard.

"Matthew, am I right? You could only be Matthew."

"Are you real?" Matthew questioned. This vision did not seem like anything he had ever experienced. Usually the person he saw or spoke with had some sort of familial tie or deep friendship.

Amelia laughed softly as she replied, "As real as any thought can be. All the things you could ask and you question whether I am real or not. Does it matter if I am real or just a thought in your head leading you where you need to go?"

Matthew gestured to a large rock to the side with his hand wanting her to sit. Once he had helped her to sit he sat down on the ground with his palms resting on his knees.

"Tell me where to find Katherine." Matthew waited expectantly.

"Now Matthew, you know it does not happen that way. I am only your guide to lead you to what your mind already knows. Think. Remember. It is all there just waiting to be unlocked." Amelia tapped the side of Matthew's temple with her finger.

"A conversation that seemed meaningless at the time but later has all the answers one is seeking. A word heard here or there." Amelia's sing song voice lead Matthew through snippets of conversations he had heard some spoken directly to him others he only listened to with the outer fringe of his mind.

With crystal clarity Matthew remembered hearing a man speaking just outside the opera house one day when he had been waiting for Katherine to return from visiting Erik.

The man at the time held no interest for him. He had been speaking about how his boss would be taking his high class whore to his new home in the Wyoming Territory near Ft. Laramie. Jackson wanted to be where he could still trade with the Indians but have the protection of the fort. They had laughed and Matthew had wanted to confront them but knew he could not so he had turned a deaf ear toward them. He heard more than he thought.

The first man had been on his way to deliver his bosses second costume Jackson had ordered. The man laughed because he thought red on a man a bit dandyish. The other man had warned him not to let Jackson hear him say such things. At the time Matthew did not know about Jackson so his name and the conversation had no meaning. Hayden's mother had not even sent out invitations. Matthew recalled Brett saying Jackson had spies everywhere.

Matthew opened his eyes to see a smiling Amelia. He now knew for certain this had to be Katherine's mother.

"See, I told you it was all right here." She tapped Matthew gently on the temple once again.

Amelia rose to here feet. Turning she began to walk back the way she had come. Matthew called after her, "Is there anything you wish me to tell Katherine when I see her?"

"Dear Matthew this vision was for you. I have already had my time with Katherine." Amelia frowned wrapping her arms around her waist to grasp her arms with her hands.

"Hurry Matthew. You must hurry. Oh my poor baby. My baby. Hurry there is no more time." Tears fell down her cheeks. Just as he reached out to her she vanished into thin air as if she had never been.

Raoul sat for quite some time trying his damnedest to clear his mind but the damn thing refused to cooperate. He went from thinking of Fawn to different businesses he had thought of investing in. No visions or celestial enlightenments had come to him. Quite frankly he was bored out of his mind. He wondered what harm it could do if he just peeked.

Opening one eye he looked straight across at Darius who had his own eye opened perusing the others. When he caught sight of Raoul he grinned guiltily.

Raoul tried without success to look reprimanding. Being guilty himself of the same crime, sort of negated his ability to pass judgment. Eventually he grinned sheepishly back at Darius.

Their heads snapped toward Hayden when they distinctly heard a slight snore emitting from him. It would seem Hayden had taken the opportunity to take a catnap.

Darius picked up a piece of a dried leaf that had fallen from the wood they had brought in and stacked before the rain had drenched it all.

Putting his finger to his mouth warning Raoul to keep quiet, Darius tickled Hayden's ear. Hayden swatted at the side of his face. Raoul and Darius could hardly contain their laughter. Darius tickled Hayden again. This time Raoul rolled to the side holding his middle while he laughed silently. When Darius would have tickled Hayden a third time Erik's hand unexpectedly swooped out and latched onto his wrist.

With his eyes still closed Erik asked, "Are you three or thirty-three?"

"Well it is either keep myself occupied or begin ripping things to shreds. Which would you prefer? I cannot let myself delve down into my darkness like you and others do Erik. Because of my size and strength I have a responsibility to keep it under control. I learned a long time ago what can happen when I lose control. Once we have found our targets then I will have no reason to hold back. I try not to dwell in that dark part of me but it is there, just as it is in everyone. So if I make light of things now it is not because I do not care or I am not worried. I simply must focus on other things or lose my mind."

Hayden yawned. Standing he stretched. He seemed oblivious of the fact that he stood before them stark naked with all his goods on display. Hayden was still half asleep. Grabbing his own trousers he put them on then lay down. He was asleep before his head hit the saddle. When he worried he put so much into the process that it drained him. He was a worrier by nature. He worried about everyone. He rarely worried about anything concerning himself.

Erik stood gracefully snagging his trousers. Beginning to put them on he glared in their direction when it seemed they hesitated turning away a little longer than they should in his estimation.

Raoul and Darius all but rolled their eyes at one another as they hastily turned their backs. They had only wanted to know what he had seen or if he had a vision at all.

"I am sorry Darius. I tend to forget you are just as wicked as the rest of us. I will tell you what Nadir once told me. **_'You do not walk on water. You are not God. You are a man like any other.'_** You and I are not so different after all."

Raoul shuddered as he slipped into his trousers. Good God did Erik just compare Darius to himself? Raoul wondered if he would now have to keep one eye on Erik and one eye on Darius. Perhaps tomorrow he would ride with Hayden.

Darius had been pulling on his own trousers as he spoke to Erik. By the time Matthew roused they had all put on their trousers but left off their shirts.

When Matthew stirred they waited for him to tell them what he had seen. No one asked Erik as he had avoided the subject earlier. They knew he would tell them to go to hell until he deemed it necessary to tell them anything. Matthew seemed just as unwilling to speak tonight as Erik had been concerning what they had learned if anything. Matthew lay upon his bedroll after putting on his trousers. He lay down then turned his back on them. He would tell them in the morning. He had to think.

Tomorrow they would head to the Wyoming Territory. Ft. Laramie seemed a good place to start. Of course Matthew could not go there. He would have to wait while the others went and asked questions. In a couple of days he hoped he would find the men who took all he cared about and threatened his family. He hoped to find Jackson's ranch or confront Jackson on the trail. If not it could be a week or more of hard riding before they reached Ft. Laramie. Tomorrow he would be Lone Wolf once more.

**A/N: I just had to lighten the mood a bit. Darius and Raoul are such fun characters to write. They play off one another. They put me in mind of a gangly couple of little boys in the schoolyard horsing around. **


	85. Chapter 84

**A/N: I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get my usual four reviews but I am posting anyway. There are only about eight or so more chapters to go. I have already posted one story Heart of a Phantom for those who like Leroux/Kay Erik. Really there is only a small referrence to the Kay Erik. Mostly he is Leroux. I have several others I have multiple chapters for. We can to to Alaska or England. I am sort of edging toward the Alaskan story but the one set in England is Erik/Meg and that is my all time favorite pairing. I'll have to see what mood I am in when this one is finally finished. **

**Chapter Eighty-four**

**We Meet Again**

Erik and the others had awakened with the sun. Breakfast had been eaten and cleared away in silence. Everyone seemed deep in their own thoughts today. Matthew had finally told them what he had remembered. He did not tell them what he had seen as that had been private.

They had only been riding for about an hour when the hairs on the back of Matthews's neck began to rise. About the same time he noticed the riders on the ridge. Once Matthew had noticed the horses and riders on the ridge he kept a vigilant eye on his surroundings. He had not been backtracking as he did not have reason to believe anyone would be following them. He had concentrated on the trail ahead. He had been finding bits and pieces Katherine had left behind. Because of the rain she had left larger pieces of the cloth. He had even noticed small piles of rocks. That in and of itself would not draw notice. The fact that they were stacked or placed in a straight line made their placement stand out, at least to Matthew.

The riders had been following them for the last half hour or so. From what he could tell they were Indian. What tribe he could not tell as they had no markings. The horses were not Indian ponies. Matthew had doubled back and come up behind them. The hoof prints showed these horses were shod.

They were either great in number or did not plan to attack merely observe Matthew and the others. If they were only a small band planning an attack they would not let themselves be seen. These men wanted to be noticed.

Matthew addressed Brett who had ridden up beside him, "Do you see the riders on the far ridge?"

"Yep. Noticed our tail being followed a few miles back. They're a might conspicuous if they plan a surprise attack. Do you suppose they're a war party on their way somewhere and we just happened to be in their path?" Brett didn't sound as if he had a care in the world. Actually he was rather worried.

Erik who had been lost in his own thoughts cursed himself for not having seen the riders. They could have all been killed while he lost himself in memories. This dwelling in the might have beens and what ifs had to stop. He could not help Katherine if he enmeshed himself in useless speculation.

"Do you think we could outrun them if we need to do so?" Erik tried to count the number of men he could see. There appeared to be perhaps five or six.

"It is not just a matter of outrunning this party. More importantly are there others and how many? It would do us no good to tire our horses just to run into the larger war party further along the trail trapping us with spent horses and no place to run." Mathew spoke softly as his eyes scanned the horizon for any sign of more riders.

"I do not think they are a war party. If they were they would have killed us and moved on. They are following and observing us. They want something." Matthew had barely spoken his last word when one of the riders broke away from the others. He carried a lance on which a white cloth had been affixed. The rider approached at an even canter only pulling up when he had ridden to within a few yards of them.

"Lone Wolf, you son of a cur dog, do you not greet your friends any longer?" Lone Wolf could hardly believe his eyes. Black Hawk had made it out that night. He felt sure that everyone would have been killed.

"Black Hawk your hide must be tougher than an aged buffalo. How did you make it out? I thought for sure everyone would be killed."

Black Hawk rode forward with his arms out as he explained with a smile in his voice, "I was invisible that night or perhaps invincible. Not a scratch. I cannot say the same for many who did not make it to freedom but me and a few others made it out. You will be happy to know Raging Bear has rejoined us. We have been on the move since we escaped. We cannot stay in one place too long. We even went back and released a few of the others before they shipped them out. We are thirty strong. Among us are women and children. Everyone carries a bow. If a child can hold a bow he can shoot an arrow. It is sad but necessary."

"Why do you follow us?" Matthew had no worry about an attack. Maybe they had seen something that would help them find Katherine.

"We ran across your trail yesterday. Raging Bear wanted us to make sure you had safe passage. Our tribe is not the only one hunting in this area. Other bands have been gathering and moving constantly. Something big is going to happen. Word is being passed of coming together in one massive wave to wipe the bluecoats from our land."

"There has been talk of such happening for a while now. There are those who are still holding out but in the end it is the only way. We will not win but we will give it a hell of a try." Matthew knew from having seen how many white men there actually were living in this land that they could not kill every one of them. Daily more came seeking a new life. They were like locusts. They came devouring everything in one area then moving on to another.

"Black Hawk have you seen a wagon with perhaps four or five men and two women? A man has taken Katherine and another woman. We are tracking them."

"If they are traveling by wagon the safest way is through the pass. If they are going that way they must be headed for Ft. Laramie. That is the stopping place for most people traveling west. Supplies can be replenished. I am sorry to hear about Katherine. How is Fawn?" Black Hawk had wanted to offer for Fawn but the time had never seemed right.

Raoul's ears perked as he caught Fawn's name being spoken among all those words he could not understand.

Matthew looked over his shoulder at Raoul then addressed Black Hawk, "That one has won her heart. He is no Black Hawk but he does have a fierce brave heart. He will keep her safe. We call him Straight Arrow."

Black Hawk eyed Raoul so fiercely he thought his scalp was in danger. When the man simply nodded then spoke once again to Matthew, Raoul heaved a sigh of relief that he would not have to fight for his life.

"I am glad she will have someone to take good care of her. If I hear otherwise tell him I may pay him a visit. We will be escorting you as far as we can. Raging Bear and the others are moving slower because of the children. They will only join us if we need them." Although Black Hawk spoke with a smile he had deadly promise in his eyes.

"We would ride with you Lone Wolf but we cannot take the chance that soldiers will come along. Do not worry. We will be close even if you do not see us. We will be there when you have need of us." Both men clasped arms in the Indian way before Black Hawk wheeled around galloping back to his companions.

"So what was that all about? I understood a bit but not all. I will pretend I did not hear the threats to Raoul," Brett joked.

"He threatened me? Why me specifically?" Raoul tried to keep the concern from entering his voice. He did not wish to seem as if he were afraid.

"Black Hawk wanted to offer for Fawn. I had told him long ago she was not ready. When the time came we were on the move so much and things were so uncertain he did not want to have a wife he had to leave and worry about every time we went out."

Raoul could not help but be concerned that the list of men he had watch around his back had been growing steadily.

While Erik and the others continued their journey Katherine lay on the floor of the wagon as it jostled her against the blankets beneath her. This was the fourth day she and Christine had been Jackson's prisoners. Four days into what Katherine had come to know might be a far longer descent into hell. It could be weeks before Erik and Matthew caught up with them.

Christine bathed Katherine's cuts and bruises that Jackson had given her last night. If Katherine had cared she would have noticed that Christine had real concern and sympathy in her eyes. Christine wiped as gently as she could.

Katherine did not see anything before her. She had to struggle to retain her sanity. She felt demoralized and ashamed more than ever before. Jackson had taken her as only Erik had the right to do. She now considered herself soiled goods. How could she ever let Erik touch her again? Would he even want to?

Last night when they had stopped Jackson had almost been kind. He had made sure Katherine had plenty to eat, asked if she were comfortable or if she needed anything.

When he had climbed in behind her into the wagon she had thought perhaps she could reason with him. She had only angered him by mentioning Erik.

He had thrown her onto her back. When he had straddled her she had tried to speak calmly hoping to defuse his anger. He began to tear away her clothing. That was when Katherine fought back.

He had been prepared for her fighting him. He had hit her in her face busting her lip once more. The more she struggled the more excited he seemed to get. Jackson got some sick pleasure from her defiance as he used force to bend her to his will.

When he had entered her Katherine had been so exhausted from her struggling she could only lay there silently despising him while she removed herself mentally from the moment.

When she had turned her head away he had angrily grasped her chin pulling her face back toward him. He had reminded her that she had made a bargain to let him do as he wanted. He wanted her to respond to him not lay listlessly beneath him. He had angrily spat the words at her as he slapped her across her cheek.

Katherine had retorted that she had agreed to let him do as he wished but she did not give her promise to enjoy it or even pretend to. Erik would be the only one to illicit that response from her.

Jackson had wrapped his hands around her throat as he began to move in and out of her with vicious strokes. He would not allow her to turn her head from him again. She could only stare with unseeing eyes over his shoulder praying for the pain to stop. Although it had been over relatively quickly it had seemed to span a greater number of minutes to Katherine.

Now she lay with Christine, her one time enemy tending her wounds while Katherine tried to rally what strength she could. They had been moving for a couple of hours when Jackson called a halt.

Turning around he instructed Katherine and Christine to get out. Once on the ground Christine supported Katherine as she nearly fell to her knees.

Jackson informed them they would be leaving the wagon and taking only what supplies they would need. Horseback would be much faster than the wagon. Jackson wanted to arrive at Ft. Laramie within a few days. If that meant traveling at night then they would travel all night.

Those following behind kept the same steady pace. The urge to run at a full gallop had to be squashed. To lose an animal now would only slow them down if they had to double up. They could rest once their mission had been accomplished.

Relentlessly they followed what few signs they could find always heading toward the vast untamed Wyoming Territory. Sleeping or food became only necessary nuisances that took time they could be moving onward.

Matthew could feel that they were getting closer to Katherine. It felt as if he had Amelia's gentle guiding hand pushing him in the right direction. He could almost here her whispering encouraging words when his mind began to think of all that could be happening to Katherine making him feel discouraged and second guessing his decision to head to the Wyoming Territory.

When he had first seen the wagon his heart had dropped into his boots. Urging his mount into a gallop Matthew jumped from his saddle just ahead of Erik and the others knowing he would not find Katherine but hoping not to find Christine either. Neither woman had been in the wagon alive or dead. Jackson had been lightening his load. That meant he had traveled faster than Matthew had estimated. They would reach the fort sooner than expected.

A week had passed. Matthew had not seen Black Hawk or the others but knew they were close by. Matthew had not seen their fire so they must be eating dried meat just as they were.

Their own supplies had begun to run low. As near as Matthew could judge they were only about 150 miles from Fr. Laramie. Tomorrow they should reach the forts trading post. If that had been Jackson's destination he would have already reached the fort a couple of days ago. Finding the wagon had given Matthew hope. At least he knew they were heading in the right direction.

Tomorrow Erik and the others would go to the fort seeking information. Depending on what they learned Katherine could be back where she belonged by tomorrow night. All would depend on how many men Jackson had hired to protect him.

Jackson had indeed made it to the fort. He had ordered supplies to be sent out to his ranch. The men he had hired would have stocked up with a few things but Jackson had ordered things to be sent in that were a little refined for the cowpokes and hired guns that worked for him.

Just before they reached the fort Jackson had tied Katherine and Christine to a tree leaving Henry to guard the women. He did not trust Zack as he had been making noises about having a bit of fun once more. He really wanted to bolster his manhood after that last fiasco. He couldn't have that squaw or Miss Montgomery but that little French dish wasn't so hard to look at.

In the normal scheme of things Jackson would have simply eliminated this extra aggravation. With Matthew and the others coming he needed every gun he had. He had hired thirty men to run his ranch as well as be ready to use their guns. They were men who wanted money and were not particular how they obtained it.

Jackson picked up the supplies he had sent over a week ago when he had finalized his plans for taking Katherine. He had even bought several dresses for her as well as night clothes from the woman who made her dresses. Money can open almost any door.

Katherine did not make things easy for Jackson. She fought him tooth and nail with what remaining strength she had. He began to feel frustrated that she forced him to use violence on her. When he held a gun to Christine's head Katherine could not let him harm Christine even after what she had done. Jackson won this battle but Katherine would never let him have her mind. Keeping thoughts of Erik in her mind kept her from giving in altogether. She clung to the image of Erik in her mind. When Jackson did horrible things to her Katherine went to a place where only she and Erik existed. The outside world melted away. In this world degradation and despair did not exist.

This world did not have Jackson Tyler violating her as she prayed for either rescue or death. She prayed they hurried for she did not know how much longer she could hold out. At this rate she would be one massive aching bruise when Erik found her.

Christine had been put in a room with the door locked as soon as they arrived. Jackson had escorted Katherine further down the hallway. Zack had shoved Christine in the room so that had been her last sight of Katherine. The only person she saw had been the man who brought her food. He would not speak to her. He would walk in then lay the tray on the table. Before she could ask him anything he would leave once again locking the door.

Christine had heard Katherine's screams again. She began to think Jackson liked Katherine's defiance so that he had an excuse to torture her. Every day she had new bruises and cuts. If Erik ever did, no when, Erik found them Jackson and those men would know what true pain felt like. Erik she knew had skills others could only dream of in their darkest nightmares.

She shuddered clasping her forearms with her hands as she leaned her head against the window sill. Jackson and his men looked as if they were preparing for a siege. As she looked down she could see them moving wagons around then toppling them to their sides. Bales of hay had been stacked at various points.

Barricades had been set up around the house. Everyone carried a rifle as well as the guns strapped to their thighs. Jackson must realize what he would have to face soon. Erik and the others would not be far behind. Christine knew it had been two days since they arrived here at Jackson's ranch.

With all the activity it would seem Jackson thought the others would be arriving soon. God Christine prayed that was true. Perhaps with the men distracted with the need to ready for defending themselves she and Katherine might be able to escape on their own.

Jackson had known Katherine would try to do that very thing so he had taken to chaining her to the wall where he had affixed the end of the chain manacled around her ankle. She could not even reach the bathroom. A chamber pot had been placed nearby for her needs as well as a pitcher of water.

Katherine would not be escaping Jackson's hold without outside assistance. Trying to rip the chain from the wall had only resulted in the manacle around her ankle digging into her skin leaving a bleeding ankle underneath the heavy metal band.

Falling back against the wall Katherine slide down until she was sitting, pulling her knees up against her chest Katherine began to draw herself inward. Wrapping her arms around her legs she leaned her head down upon her knees looking for all the world what she was, a woman who had nearly reached the end of her endurance. If she could not be rescued by tomorrow Katherine began to think of ways she might end her ordeal on her own.

If Katherine had known that even as she despaired Erik and the others were within fifty miles of Jackson's ranch it might have given her the hope she needed to rise up and take back her pride that Jackson took from her as he possessed her intimately. Each time he took her he left with a little more of her pride and self-respect ground under his boot. Erik and the others had arrived in Ft. Laramie. They would be coming for her soon. Jackson did not know it but his time on this earth could now be counted in mere hours. The day of judgment was at hand and Erik would be the one to deliver what he deemed a just and fitting end for Jackson.

**A/N: Whoopee, the cavalry has arrived, or almost. Now the sh--it will hit the fan royally. Look out Jackson. **


	86. Chapter 85

**Chapter Eighty-five**

**Information and Reconnaissance**

Matthew had stayed a mile away from the fort waiting for the others to return. If he thought it would not go badly Matthew would have simply snuck in and found someone to interrogate. This was one time he had to depend on white men to gain what he needed.

When Erik and the others rode in they garnered only a brief glance as this was the stopping place for everyone heading further west. This was the last chance to buy goods until one reached California where the gold boom towns had sprung up. Not all passersby were headed toward that yellow beacon. Some had come to stake a claim on land to homestead. Millions of acres were there just for the taking. Well one did have to chase away the occasional war party but that was why the army had set up Ft. Laramie.

Erik tied his horse to the hitching post in front of the saloon. They would seek answers in establishments just outside the fort. He had been surprised at the number of people and buildings out here after seeing nothing but nature the last week or so.

Raoul smacked his lips. He could almost taste the whiskey he would soon be drinking. Stepping onto the wooden walkway he nodded toward the men seated there. He returned their howdy do with a friendly one of his own. The others merely nodded as they scanned the surroundings. He gave an unmanly gag when he saw them spitting that stream of brown from their mouths into a spittoon.

As they entered Brett kept his hand at the ready to draw his gun. Saloons tended to bring out a man's courage at the most awkward times. Anyone drinking at this hour might not be sober enough to know who he was or if they did they may have a false sense of courage and skills from the liquor.

When they entered the darkened room those not already too drunk to care watched them with suspicious eyes. A table with a game of poker in progress just to the left of them had four men sitting around it. The dealer paused. Eyeing the newcomers with a practiced eye he raised his chin to call across to the newcomers, "You gents interested in a game of chance?"

Brett silently assessed the men. Card sharks traveling in pairs were common in the areas where the heavy traffic of settlers traveled through. The gold fields drew them like ants to a sugar bowl. They fleeced many an innocent just wanting to enjoy a little respite from the grueling trail or the hard work and disappointment of the sluicing or panning for gold that yielded just enough to keep a body looking.

Watching the dealer he saw the man slickly placing a card on the bottom of the deck then when dealing to himself that card landed in front of him with his cards.

"Sure why not? Erik perhaps these gents might be able to give us a little information while we enjoy a game of cards."

Erik did not know what Brett had in mind but he would go along for a bit to see how things worked out.

Darius and Raoul headed for the bar. Raoul saw the bartender pick up a discarded mug down at the end of the bar then plop it down in front of him after only a cursory swipe with his rag that looked only slightly cleaner than the floor.

"What'll it be gents? Beer or whiskey." Leaning in to whisper confidentially he said, "If'n you're of a mind to enjoy a bit of fun we just got in a new batch of girls. Little Chinese women no less. If'n your of mind for that type of thing. Railroad hired a bunch of them Chinamen. Brought along the families. Shame they can't afford to keep 'em. Offered to sell 'em to me but being the true gentleman I am I said no. Of course I wasn't agin having 'em work for me. So how 'bout a nice fresh piece? I even got a couple of virgins. They're a might more but worth every penny I'll wager."

Raoul and Darius both wanted to drag that man across the bar and teach him a thing or two about justice, right and wrong.

They could not of course as that would end any chance they had to find Katherine and Christine. They could go to the commander of the fort but slavery and prostitution were not a top priority when he had the whole territory to protect. Between Indian raids and men willing to kill to get what another man had the soldiers were kept pretty busy.

A few years back they lost over seventy men in an Indian ambush. The Shoshone Reservation had been set up but there were still bands of Indians raiding stage coaches and cutting down the telegraph wires. The railroad had to post guards to protect the track from being torn apart by Indians not wanting the railroad to cross land they considered theirs more than any Whiteman's. Men could not be spared from the daily vigilance they must keep focused on the settlers traveling through as well as the ranches and homesteads scattered around.

So many people poured through this region on the Oregon Trail that their job stretched them to the limits at times. With settlements spread out far and wide protection had been made more difficult.

Raoul and Darius declined the man's offer for anything more than a drink. They would have declined the drink but they could think of no other excuse to stand at the bar. Raoul hoped the drink had more alcohol than water so that it might disinfect the glass. He did not wish to end up with tuberculosis or some other contagious disease.

When the man plunked down the mugs in front of them Raoul grabbed his and took a cautious sip. With the drink still in his mouth he saw Darius surreptitiously pouring his out in the spittoon.

Turning to Raoul he raised his brows. "You did not actually take a drink of that swill did you? Raoul must I start watching your every move as I have Erik's these past three years? I swear you have less sense than a common frog. Did you not see the way he _**cleaned**_ the glasses? That alone should have clued you in on the fact that it would not be beneficial to your health to drink from that haven for bacteria."

Raoul spit the as yet un-swallowed mouthful of beer back into the mug. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He had just begun to pour it into the spittoon when a man staggered up beside him. Putting his mug beneath Raoul's he caught what Raoul poured out into his own mug. Raoul opened his mouth to say something but shut it just as quickly as the man had already downed half the drink. When his mug had been emptied the drunken man thanked Raoul, speaking just to the left of Raoul's shoulder into empty air.

Hayden had opted to join Erik and Brett at the card table. If worse came to worse he had a derringer slipped into his sleeve that he could hold at the ready just in case. A man did not put his hands under the table while playing cards but if one dropped oh say, a poker chip that would be a perfect opportunity to palm the little gun. He would only use it if things looked like they might get out of hand as was won't to happen now and again in such places Brett had told him. Brett had given him the nod and he had returned it letting him know he would be point man in this operation. His job would be to seem interested in the game while keeping an eye on the other players.

During the first few hands Erik and Brett kept the conversation light. Gradually they worked around to asking what sort of people lived here about. Had there been any newcomers in a while? How many? Who owned the biggest ranches around and would they be hiring? Where might one find this Jackson Tyler fellow?

Even with two of the men cheating Erik won as did the poor man who had been down to his last five dollar chip when Erik and the other two had sat down. Erik decided to do a little cheating of his own.

Losing did not set well with those two dishonest cowpokes. Shoving back his chair the burliest one lunged toward Erik accusing him of cheating. Hayden waved the derringer in the man's face warning him to back off. The thinner one had pulled his own gun out. Brett eyed him calculating whether the man would shoot Hayden or not. He could drop him in the blink of an eye but that would mean paper work more than likely at the fort. Best try to work this out with reason Brett concluded.

"Gents it's been a right pleasure chatting and playing a hand or two of chance with you but I do think we've outworn our welcome," Brett drawled carelessly while his fingers inched toward his gun just in case. He hoped any further trouble could be avoided. They could not afford to spend the night in the local hoosegow if the man in charge of the fort happened to be in a foul mood.

"Now wait just a consarn minute. That man cheated. Cheaters get flogged or hung, whichever a body's a mind ta do." The dealer, being the worst cheater of all protested the loudest.

"Brett we should be going." Erik did not want any trouble. He wanted to finish gathering information then leave quickly. They had everything they needed, except a direction to head so they could find Jackson's ranch.

The man who had lodged the complaint looked a little closer at Brett when he heard the name. Sweat began to pop out on his forehead when he recognized just who Brett was.

He began to back off. His partner in crime argued when he told him to put away his gun they'd be a leavin' peaceable like.

"You been chewin' locoweed? There's better 'en a hunnert dollars there. I ain't a leavin' without my money."

"Digger don't ya' know who this a here fella is? Take a look at his guns man. That there's Brett Bartlett. That Pinkerton fella. The one what killed Joey Fine a few years back."

The other man, Digger gave Brett the once over. Taking note of the low position of his gun on his thigh and the closeness of his hand to that gun, he guessed that fella, ifin he was Brett Bartlett, could drop Digger even with his own gun drawn before he could get off a shot himself.

The man holstered his gun. Brett calmly picked up the money. He took out what he and his companions had put on the table and gave the rest to the young man who had been cheated out of his savings.

Brett gave the man the money with the advice to move on and not stop until he got where he was headed. The two cheaters would have protested but Brett simply raised his brow and they swallowed whatever they wanted to say.

As they left the man who had been dealing said, "I pity whoever there a chasin'. Damn glad it ain't me." They sat back down to play cards and cheat one another.

The mercantile store yielded the whereabouts of Jackson's ranch. The storekeeper told them the quickest route to the edge of his property. Seeing as how the men looked like hired guns he told them Jackson had been hiring men lately that were handy with guns.

Having all they needed to track down Jackson they rode out to meet back with Matthew.

Once they rejoined Matthew they did not waste time heading in the direction of Jackson's ranch. Now the men were quiet. Each one reaching down deep inside themselves to find the reserves they would need to face the small army Jackson had hired. They did not waste time informing the commander of the fort what they intended. He would learn what had taken place once Jackson and the others were dead. Erik and the others had made a silent agreement that Jackson could not be allowed to live. Justice would be served by them in this matter. They would be judge, jury, and executioner.

Brett figured if Jackson paid enough people he would go free. Frontier justice was not the same as the courts in Richmond or any other of the regions that were in the Union as states. The justice out in the territories sometimes had more to do with quick expedition of penalties then worry about justice later. Times were changing but with the frontier just now opening up more and more there were not enough courts or judges to preside over them. Some towns had no law enforcement to speak of. A U.S. Marshall would travel from town to town doing his best to keep the peace and bring criminals to justice. Often judges did the same.

Why cause the taxpayer stress? They knew Jackson to be guilty and it was doubtful Erik would leave here without taking Jackson's life.

Stopping within a half mile of Jackson's ranch house they would go in on foot and scout the area. Since Matthew, Brett and Erik were the most skilled in the art of searching without being seen they would go in and take stock of the area making note of how many men and where they were located.

By late afternoon the air would be filled with the sound of gunfire and the stench of burning timber. The air would be rife with the sound of horses calling out shrilly in panic. Orders would be shouted and followed. Men would lie on the ground in their own blood. Before the last gunshot had made its last echo in the surrounding hills either Erik or Jackson would lie dead. Pray God it would not be both.

**A/N: So what do you think? Enough suspense? Head 'em up and move 'em out. Yippee ki yi yea.**


	87. Chapter 86

**A/N: Well I got my four reviewers back. Glad everyone is unaffected by Ike or at least if you were you are fine now and back to normal whatever that is. We didn't get as much as others only a little devastation and no communication for six days. That was hard. There are about 200 homes in our county still without electric. **

**Chapter Eighty-six**

**Battle Cry**

Jackson had not been to see Katherine all day for which she would be eternally thanking every holy countenance she knew. She did not know for certain how long she had been held captive. All she knew for sure that one second longer would be too long.

Every bone in her body ached. During the night she had almost given into despair once more as the thought that Jackson could have given her a child slipped into her mind driving her crazy with worry. She could never expect Erik to accept a child that Jackson had fathered. She did not know for sure if she could love one coming to her in the manner Jackson had spilled his seed into her.

Katherine doubted she could even let Erik touch her again. The thought of being with anyone made her feel ill. Her mind knew that with Erik it would be different, it had been different. Knowing it and being able to physically accept it were two completely different things. She did not think she would ever feel clean again. When Jackson had let her bath last night she had scrubbed so long and hard on her skin she had become raw in places. Katherine did not consider herself worthy of Erik's love anymore. After all the vile things Jackson had done she wondered if she would ever feel even slightly like her old self once more.

From where she had been chained she could not see out the windows. She could only here loud shouts from Jackson giving orders every now and then. As much as she had wanted Erik to come before now she hoped he never found her. She did not want him to know of her shame.

Jackson must be expecting Erik and the others to arrive soon though. No one had been in to check on her in quite some time. Katherine's heart beat just a bit faster anticipating seeing Erik again. Even if she could not look him in the eye or bear his touch she did want to see him with some part of her. She see sawed back and forth dying for a glimpse of him and hating the thought of how he would look at her once he knew Jackson had been intimate with her. She did not know if she could look him in the eye or would hang her head in shame. Her logical mind told her she had nothing to be ashamed about but logic did not control her emotions. All she could think about all the times after Jackson had violated her was what those women in town had said about her. They had called her the camp whore and she had been an innocent virgin. What did that make her now that Jackson had defiled her? Was she now truly a whore?

Tears slid down her cheeks as she heard those voices calling her that vile name. She could not bear it if Erik thought she was no longer a decent person. What if he could no longer stand to touch her even if she did overcome her fears? What if he turned from her in disgust? Could she bear it if she lost Erik?

Pulling herself together Katherine wiped her eyes. Here she had been mired in pity for herself when she had not seen or heard from Christine since they had arrived. Katherine had lost track of the days. One horrible day ran into another. As near as she could remember it had been almost two weeks since Jackson had taken her and the others.

God how selfish could she be? She had not spared a thought for Meg and her baby. She prayed that the death of Meg or her baby would not be yet another sin Jackson had to atone for.

Christine had been brought a tray for her lunch. What interested her more than the tray of food had been the fact that the man who brought it had been so intent on leaving to return outside, that he had left her door unlocked. She had not heard the little click indicating the key had been turned.

Quickly going to the door Christine put her ear to the thick wood panel. She could not hear anything. Cautiously she opened the door a crack. Peeking out Christine looked down the hallway. She did not see anyone.

Opening the door to its fullest extent Christine passed through it and gathered handfuls of her skirt then began to run down the hallway toward the room where she had seen Jackson take Katherine. Suddenly she stopped and ran back the way she had come. Grabbing the knob of the door she closed it softly. Unless someone went into the room they would think she was still in there.

Making her way to the room she thought was Jackson's, Christine turned the knob. It had not been locked. She wondered if they had forgotten to lock Katherine's as well. When Christine opened the door she saw why Jackson had no need to lock Katherine in. He had her chained to a wall.

Stepping quickly to Katherine's side Christine kneeled down. With her hands resting in her lap Christine looked carefully at Katherine. This woman did not look anything like the confident, strong, willing to take on the odds woman Christine had been battling.

Katherine sat with her hair loosened with stray wisps fanning around her face. Her head and shoulders were bowed. When Christine had sat down Katherine gave no indication she knew anyone had joined her not by so much as a twitch of a finger.

Christine looked around the room for something that she could use to break the chain knowing even as she looked it would be hopeless. She did not have the strength to break even one of those thick links.

"Katherine, tell me what to do. Tell me how to help you. Please Katherine if Erik ever meant anything to you snap out of this. You need to focus on getting out of here. I cannot do this alone."

Desperately Christine searched her mind for something that would raise Katherine out of this pit that Christine herself knew all too well. The only thing she could think of that meant enough to Katherine to raise her interest would be Erik.

Shamelessly Christine taunted Katherine, "Well I suppose if you will not fight for him that leaves the way clear for me. I am sure he is on his way here with the others. I will be here with open arms to comfort him when he learns you have no interest in him now. Your love for Erik was that shallow Katherine that you believe he will blame you? You do not know Erik as well as you thought if you believe that. Oh well that makes things easier for me does it not?" Christine pushed to her feet in preparation to leave crossing her fingers that Katherine did not let her step out that door.

She did not have long to wait. Having just turned her back then taking one step she heard Katherine rasp in a low but deadly threatening tone, "Go near my Erik again and I will kill you."

Christine kept the relieved smile from her face with difficulty. She had hoped Katherine would rally when challenged for Erik's love.

Katherine sat up straight pushing the hair from her face. She hated for Christine to see her looking less than her best. She must look a fright all things considered.

"Do you think you could look around to see if Jackson left a key in here somewhere? I doubt he would be that stupid but we must try every possibility."

Christine was glad of the assigned task. At least it made her feel as if she had some value. In most situations it would be Katherine taking charge and getting things done. It felt good to be the heroine for once in her life.

Christine had thought at one time the offer to sacrifice herself and stay with Erik had been quite heroic on her part. Later she had to admit it had been selfishness on her part. She had not wanted to give into that darkness and stay with Erik. She had loved Raoul and he represented life in the light. Now she had a chance to truly be the heroine.

Christine pulled drawers out dumping the contents out for an easier search. What did she care if they caught her? Would she be in any more peril for rummaging through the room than she would be for leaving her room and coming in here to Jackson's bedroom?

Christine tore the room apart frantically searching everything only to come up empty handed. Returning to where Katherine had been chained to the wall she gave the chain a few hard tugs before slumping down next to Katherine by the wall.

It could have been a couple of minutes or a couple of hours when they heard the first shots. After that the sound did not cease. Windows shattered as stray bullets hit the glass. Katherine and Christine held there hands over their heads. When the glass on the second window shattered Katherine told Christine to get the pillows from the bed. They would use them for a barricade against the glass.

When the shots continued to go on for some minutes Katherine told Christine to go out and try to make her way to Erik and the others. It would be senseless for them both to be killed.

Christine would not hear of leaving Katherine. She may not be much in the way of protection but at least if she stayed Katherine would not be alone. Neither said the words out loud but they knew there was a good chance Jackson would come and finish them off if he thought he might not be able to fend off Erik and the others. Jackson was just sick of mind enough to do that.

They sat huddled behind the pillows listening to the excited shouts of men yelling to one another. They could hear the horses shrill whickering. A sound like thunder permeated through the windows. A stampede. It sounded like a herd had been startled and were on the run. Christine and Katherine could hear the lowing of the cattle's terrified response to whatever had set them off. The noise grew to a roar of hoof beats pounding the earth.

Katherine silently called to Erik begging him to come for her even as she dreaded facing him once again with the knowledge of what Jackson had done to her between them. In her heart she feared how Erik would look at her. Even to herself she seemed unclean. How could he think any different? She hoped Erik never asked her what vile things had been done to her. She did not think she could ever voice them aloud. To have them locked in her mind was bad enough. To give voice to them would put them out in the open for others to look at with pity or disgust. She knew how judgmental everyone had been before. Now she would be an even worse defiled woman.

_**Please come for me Erik. Save me. Love me.**_ These phrases sounded a litany inside Katherine's mind as she waited and listened to the battle taking place outside. This time, listening was all she could do. She was the one who needed rescuing this time.

Matthew, Brett and Erik had scouted out the area around the ranch. They had come back to the others with a plan of action in mind. They needed to synchronize their attack. If they spread out in a fanning formation they could cover more area. While those in the front kept up a steady barrage of fire one man could make his way around to the rear so that he could find his way inside the barriers that Jackson had set up.

Whoever it was would need to leave first. They would give that person thirty minutes to trail around to the back. The one draw back would be this person would have to go in light. Carrying too much would slow them down while also making it harder to slip in undetected.

Erik volunteered. Hell he had made up his mind to go whether anyone else wanted to go or not. No one wished to challenge him looking into the fierce determination of his eyes.

Erik had a couple of knives, his Punjamb, the two guns in his holster and he would take Matthew's quiver of arrows and his bow. He stuck three sticks of dynamite in his vest pocket. There was no way in hell he would leave one stick standing that Jackson owned.

They would use the herd of cattle as a distraction so that Erik could slip in undetected. Matthew told Erik to slip into the stable and wait five minutes. Then he should release all the horses and set fire to the barn. While he did that they would get the herd of cattle to stampede over the barriers.

If everything went according to plan things would start in thirty-five minutes whether Erik managed to make it to the stable or not. Raoul had a pocket watch so he and Erik synchronized the time. In thirty-five minutes all hell would break loose.

Erik assured Matthew he would go over and not around anything in his path. Nothing or no one would stand in his way to Katherine. He would be bringing her back with him or he would not be coming back at all. Death would be the only thing that would keep him from getting Katherine back.

Erik put the strap of the quiver across his shoulder. He took several handfuls of ammo. Checking to make sure he had matches to light the dynamite Erik at last felt ready to go retrieve the woman he loved.

By nightfall this would be resolved one way or another. They would be bringing two women back or leaving a few men behind buried in the Wyoming soil.

When the smoke clears the ground will be covered with fallen heroes and the devil's emissaries as well. Who will survive and who will meet the angels or be greeted at the devil's gateway to hell?

**A/N: Now we come to it. The battle between Erik and Jackson and maybe find out just who the heck Jackson's cousin is. **


	88. Chapter 87

**A/N: My internet and cable went down for a few hours tonight so on the off-chance that it goes out again I am posting this late Sunday night addition. Chapters are coming a bit faster so the story will be ending soon. Sniff. Sorry, I'll be okay. I'll just use Erik to console me. Trust me I don't mind. Really. And no I won't share him. Get your own Erik, Gerik. **

**Chapter Eighty-seven**

**Under Fire**

Erik rode just on the outskirts of the ranch proper. He stayed within half a mile of the ranch buildings staying to the back side of the hills so he could slip in unnoticed. Once he had made it to a point behind the ranch he left his horse. Swatting the animal on his behind he hoped he would find his way back to the others who were sitting with their own mounts just on the far side of the hill that faced the ranch compound. In just a short time they would begin the stampede.

Erik kept low to the ground as he approached the first man behind a barrier. He dropped to his stomach when the brush gave way to an area where the grass grew thicker and there was less sage brush and tall grass to use for cover.

Going to the far side of the stable Erik moved in behind the first man. Taking out his Punjamb he stood as he whirled it in the air. Throwing it around the man's neck he gave a jerk. Once the man dropped his weapon Erik reeled him in. When the man was close enough Erik used his arm around the man's throat to break his neck with a sickening crack.

Erik did not enjoy killing as he used to. This he deemed necessary to save Katherine. He had a silent moment begging for forgiveness for this killing and whatever men he needed to kill on his way to Katherine. He would not enjoy it but he would do this and more to have her safely back in his arms. Jackson would be the only one he would enjoy killing.

There were a couple of men just outside the stable. Crouching down behind a barrel of water Erik took out an arrow. Placing it against the string of the bow he took aim. Letting go he hit the man on the left in the chest. Quickly standing he ran forward. He tackled the second stunned man to the ground. Pulling out his knife Erik slit the man's throat. This man made Erik just a bit queasy. The sight of blood had never bothered him before. Perhaps he really was getting softer in nature.

Entering the stable Erik began to methodically open each stall making sure the horses headed in the direction of the open stable doors. Now he just needed to burn the building to the ground. The smoke would add extra cover.

Once Matthew and the others were in a position to stampede the herd in the direction of the barriers around the ranch house, Matthew waited the thirty-five minutes before giving the signal to begin to move the cattle. Once they were headed in the right direction Matthew gave a war cry that set them to running. They kicked up a cloud of dust as they began to run. The pounding hooves of perhaps five hundred frightened cattle sounded like thunder. The lowing of the frightened animals rose to a deafening roar.

Just as Matthew and the others set the herd to moving Erik opened the doors to the stables to move the horses he had removed from the stalls. Once he had made sure all the animals were free he set fire to the building feeling a certain satisfaction in the deed.

Crouching low he moved forward. The pandemonium caused by the stampede and the horses running around gave him the cover he needed to approach the next man who stood looking in stunned fascination at the herd from the safety of leaning against the side of the stable wall. Erik took him out quickly strangling him with his Punjumb. Removing his weapon of choice from the man's neck Erik sought his next target.

Jackson and his men quickly recovered their wits. They began to fire shots toward Matthew and the others as the cattle began to thin out. Erik methodically moved forward taking out any man unfortunate enough to be in his way.

Jackson's men outnumbered Katherine's rescuers about three to one. Shots were coming from all directions. Smoke created a diversion but it also limited everyone's vision.

When Matthew and the others reached the ranch yard they dismounted swatting their horse's rumps to send them on their way. They began to fire immediately. To save ammo they used their hands to take out an opponent when possible.

Raoul had just killed the man he had drug to the ground. Standing he saw Erik heading his way. A man behind Erik was about to shoot him in the back. Raoul raised his gun toward Erik. Erik stood a moment in shock to see Raoul pointing a gun at him. For the briefest of moments Erik had the thought to throw his Punjamb over Raoul's head but just as quickly as the thought came it had been dismissed. Erik placed his trust in what he knew of Raoul now, not in any lingering fears or mistrust he may have from the past.

Raoul fired just to the left of Erik. Whirling around Erik saw the man fall to the ground. Turning back around he saw Raoul give a cocky salute. Bullets were flying from all sides. They ran for cover. Erik toward the house and Raoul joined Darius.

Erik could see Raoul and Darius behind a stack of baled hay. To the right and just a bit ahead Hayden lay on the ground with his forearms on the ground and his rifle in his hands shooting toward the men in front of the house and the ones on the roof. Erik did not know where Katherine was but he sure as hell did not want her to be shot by one of them.

Crouching low and weaving his way toward Hayden he tapped him on the shoulder. Hayden whirled around pointing the rifle at Erik just stopping short of pulling the trigger.

"Shoot away from the house. You're shooting out windows. We cannot be sure where Katherine is located. I will take care of the men on the roof. You take care of the ones on the ground."

When Hayden had nodded his head Erik moved on toward the house. Three men came toward him with their guns drawn. Erik used his Punjamb to knock the gun from one man's hand. Then it became hand to hand between Erik and the three men as Erik grabbed the barrel of one man's rifle using the leverage of holding the end to swing him into the man beside him. All three men were unarmed having dropped their weapons with a few quick moves from Erik. Using the butt of the rifle Erik hit two of the men in the head a blow that knocked them into oblivion. The third man did not fair as well. Erik had to shoot him point blank as the man had drawn his six-shooter from his holster. His companions were merely knocked out for a time. The third man lay in an ever widening pool of his own blood.

Matthew and the others were pinned down just behind Erik. They could not advance without risking being picked off. They had to make every bullet count. Their ammo had gone with the horses.

Erik moved steadily onward not letting anyone stop his forward movement. Only a well placed bullet would stop him from reaching Katherine.

Two men rushed toward Erik as he approached the wagon they hid behind. Firing as they ran toward him, Erik dropped to the ground to shoot back. One man took aim with his rifle. Raising it up he took aim at Erik. When he pulled the trigger nothing happened. The rifle firing chamber was empty. His companion only had his six-shooter which he had fired the last bullet from just seconds ago. Jumping to his feet Erik ran forward to take on the two men using strength against strength.

Erik had been fighting the men off quite effectively until one he had smashed his fist into knocking him off his feet managed to find a gun on the ground dropped by a dead man and aim it at Erik's chest. With an evil grin the man prepared to end Erik's life. Just as Erik had the regret that he did not save Katherine crossing his mind the man with the gun suddenly lurched forward. The grin faded turning to a look of surprised pain. He dropped to his knees. The gun dropped from his fingers. He then fell forward with an arrow sticking out of his back. Recovering quickly Erik stabbed his knife into the second man's stomach as the man angrily charged him upon seeing his cohort fall dead to the ground.

Raging Bear and his band of braves had arrived just in the nick of time. Raging Bear raised his lance giving a mighty fierce battle cry.

Just then about twenty or so braves came riding in giving great war whoops brandishing their tomahawks and shooting arrows. This gave Matthew the chance to move forward. Matthew stood and raised his rifle in the air with an answering war cry of his own. Racing forward he began to hit men in the head with the butt of his rifle as he made his way toward Raging Bear. The others joined him forming a line as they advanced picking off men as they went. The odds had suddenly turned in favor of the rescuers or at least the odds had been improved.

Raoul, Darius, Brett and Hayden shouted to one another then they stood giving war whoops of their own. They began to run forward as well taking on men as they went. They may be outnumbered but their skills and determination more than made up for the deficit in numbers.

Jackson had even more men than they had thought. He had as many out on the grounds as he did in the house. Those men came charging out guns blazing when Raging Bear and his braves showed up.

Darius went down first as a bullet found a target. Raoul rushed to his side. Darius moaned with the pain. He had been shot in the shoulder. Raoul moved his shirt aside to look at the wound. The bullet had left a nice little whole. Darius had been lucky he had been hit by a six-shooter instead of one of the rifles.

Raoul quickly looked around. There really was not a safe place to drag him. Turning back to Darius Raoul chided, "Are you going to let a little bee sting like that take out a big man like yourself? For shame. What would Dove have to say about that?"

"Well she sure as hell would have more sympathy than you do." Raising his gun Darius pointed it toward Raoul's shoulder as he said, "Let me shoot you then tell me a story about bee stings and bullets." As Darius had his gun pointed at Raoul he fired. Raoul thought for a second he had been shot. Looking over his shoulder Raoul saw a man falling to the ground.

Rolling to his front Darius pushed himself up to his knees just as Raoul rested his hand on his back to shoot a man heading toward them with his guns ready to fire.

"Let's get the hell out of here. We are too much in the open here," Raoul shouted over the noise of gunfire being exchanged. Between the few remaining head of frightened cattle, horses and shouts of men all around communication could only be made with those close by.

Smoke had cut visibility in half. Raoul figured if they could not see then neither could Jackson's men. Raoul helped Darius to his feet. It was a good thing Darius did not need to lean on Raoul as Darius would have had to bend at an uncomfortable angle to reach Raoul's shoulder. The weight of the man alone would have pushed Raoul to his knees. He did make the offer though just so he did not look any less manly before this mountain of a man beside him. Raoul just barely refrained from sighing aloud when Darius refused.

Moving forward once again they went into the fray guns blazing. Darius shouted for Raoul to drop to the ground. When he had dropped down Darius fired and shot the man who had been to Raoul's left. Raoul nodded a thank you before climbing to his feet once more.

Everyone had begun to run out of ammo. With Raging Bear and his band of braves riding around killing anyone who moved near the house they could not return to reload. They were stuck in the battle being forced into one on one confrontations or in the case of Jackson's men two or three to one of the rescuers.

Raging Bear could feel the buildup inside him that today would be a day to mark all days. He could not get White Eagle out of his mind.

The vision he had many years ago when he had first taken her had returned last night in his dreams. He saw Shadow Man fighting two men. He fought well. Today would be a turning point for everyone. This battle would decide who lived to tell the history of the battle and who died taking secrets to the grave with them.

Erik let his full rage loose on these men. He held nothing back. As soon as one man hit the ground with a knife wound in his gut Erik moved to the next. If he had to kill everyone in his path so be it. He would get to Katherine.

Matthew had taken a tomahawk from Black Hawk. This weapon he knew well and was adept in its use. He looked up to see a few braves had climbed onto the roof and were taking out those men who were shooting down from above. He saw the bodies drop to the ground as the braves crept up behind them slitting their throats.

Matthew was brought back into the fray as a man charged him with his rifle butt ready to crack over Matthews's skull. Matthew hooked his tomahawk onto the middle of the rifle and with a twist he jerked the rifle from the man's hands. The man pulled a knife.

Pulling out his own knife Matthew threw it at the man's chest hitting him dead center. The man's hands went to his chest to try to pull the knife out. He looked up at Matthew as if to question why he had thrown his knife. Matthew would have told him it is better to kill an opponent with equal advantages from a distance if possible. Why should he risk injury fighting hand to hand if he could accomplish the same thing another way? Some white men thought they were invincible especially when it came to fighting Indians. They thought they had God on their side. Matthew could have told them God did not take sides in battles.

Hayden was not a man who fought with his fists often. What he lacked in skills he made up for with the sheer determination to win. One man grabbed his arms pulling them back. Another approached to strike him with his fist. Hayden reared back lifting his legs as he had seen the other men do. Kicking outward he hit the man a solid blow, who had drawn back his fist to punch Hayden in his face. That man stumbled back and was hit with an arrow by Raging Bear. Once Hayden's feet were back on the ground he wrapped his foot around the ankle of the man behind him. The man tumbled to the ground.

Turning quickly Hayden pulled the derringer from his inner pocket. Just as he was about to shoot the man on the ground scrabbled around on the ground and found a gun that the dead man beside him had dropped.

Firing the gun at Hayden he grinned as red crimson began to flow from Hayden. Dropping down to his knees Hayden felt with his hand the blood flowing from the wound in his side. Just before everything went dark Hayden pulled his derringer to chest level and killed the man who may well have killed Hayden himself. Hayden fell to the ground. He did not move or make a sound. To an observer he would look just like another dead body littering the ground. One among many that had already fallen all because one man could not conceive not having something he wanted and something he felt belonged to him by right of birth. As things began to darken Hayden's last thought had been that he hoped Erik saved Christine and killed every last one of these bastards.

Erik had managed to fight his way to the front porch of the house. Taking out the man who stood in his way at the door Erik carefully entered the house. As Raging Bear's braves had entered the fight, the men inside had been called to the outside. Erik knew beyond a shadow of doubt that Jackson was here somewhere with Katherine and possibly Christine. He may well have killed Christine when he began to fear not winning this battle.

He wanted to call out to Katherine but knew he had to be as quiet as he could be. Without having to see him Erik knew Jackson had returned to the house to guard his prize. That is what Erik would have done in the old days. When the odds were against him he would have run to ground defending himself with his back against the wall.

Glass littered the floor crunching under his boots as he walked. The hairs on Erik's neck stood up straight as he approached the stairs. Erik knew he drew closer to his prey as well as his love.

He hoped Jackson would not have killed his captives as he was sure Jackson intended to do. He would not let Erik take Katherine away from him while he was alive and if he felt he could not win he would kill his captives and possibly himself. Or he would kill them then come out with guns blazing to die in a glorious exchange of gunfire.

Silently Erik crept up the stairs. Staying to the outer portion in case of any creaking steps Erik slowly advanced one step at a time. Once at the top he began his walk down the hallway. With his mind he tried to send Katherine the message that he had come for her.

The only door that had been left closed was about midway down the hall. Erik cautiously approached it. He debated whether he should kick it in and chance catching Jackson by surprise or trying to wait until he heard something then move in.

Making up his mind Erik stood before the door. Reaching out he thought _**Soon my love. Soon we will be together. One way or another we will be together. **_

**A/N: Oh no. Did I just become evil and leave you hanging just as we come to the confrontation between Erik and Jackson? **


	89. Chapter 88

**Chapter Eighty-eight**

**Revelation**

The tide had begun to turn. The rescuers were gradually overcoming those men standing between them and rescuing the women. When Jackson's men looked around and did not even see Jackson anywhere they lost a bit of their verve for fighting. Seeing all the men who lay dead on the ground, encouraged them in their decision to give up this fight they were clearly beginning to lose. One by one they grabbed the nearest horse. Mounting up they headed out away from the ranch house to open range.

When the last of Jackson's men had ridden out a few of the braves went after them just to make sure they kept going. When they were assured those men would not be coming back they would return.

Walking through the bodies they checked to see if any men lying on the ground were just injured or if all were truly dead. This was done quickly as the wished to go into the house to give Erik aid. Raoul had just come upon Hayden. Crouching down he turned him over then called loudly over his shoulder, "Brett, it is Hayden. He has been shot."

Hayden did not make a sound when Raoul moved him. Picking up his wrist Raoul felt a pulse. Weak but at least there was a pulse. The others abandoned their search of the bodies for any living person as one of their own lay upon the cold ground looking for all the world as if death had already claimed him.

Brett crouched down beside Raoul. Brett tore the bottom half of Hayden's shirt. The wound looked serious but Brett had seen worse, at least that is what he told himself knowing a gut wound was almost always fatal, especially when medical attention could not be received immediately.

"You tend to him Brett. I am going in after Erik. He may need a hand. If any of Jackson's men are alive load them in a wagon. We can drop them off at the fort on our way out." Brett did not look up at Matthew he merely nodded. Tearing off a piece of clothe from Hayden's shirt Brett folded it so that he could press it into the wound to staunch the blood. As things stood now they could not take their wounded into the fort. There would be too many questions. Questions they dare not answer.

Seeing Darius bleeding he told him to tear off a piece of cloth and do as he was doing for Hayden. He could make a bandage to tie around Hayden's waist to hold the compress in place. As soon as they had the all clear they could begin the journey the fort to drop off any men who were alive. Brett hoped every last one of the bastards died. He did not know if his charity would extend to allowing anyone who fought with Jackson to leave here alive. Those cowards who had fled earlier had been wise to do so. If Brett had faced them with the knowledge of Hayden's injury fresh in his mind Brett knew he would kill every last one of those bastards without a thought or regret flitting through his mind.

Erik decided the only way into the room would be to kick the door in then jump through and fall to the floor. He might get lucky and shoot Jackson.

Inside Jackson looked calm and unconcerned as he paced about.

"It is all his fault. Everything. None of this would have happened if he had not come to grandfather's. That bitch of a mother of his had to come home bringing her devil spawned child into our family. He will never really be one of us. How could you even bear to be near him Katherine?'

As he paced Jackson rubbed the barrel of his gun along the right side of his face. Turning to face Katherine he saw her look of bewilderment. Pacing toward her he crouched down in front of her.

"I keep forgetting you do not know him as I do. You only know him as…" Just then Erik burst into the room. He dropped and rolled coming to a stop lying on his stomach with his gun pointed straight ahead of him.

Just as Erik burst into the room Christine lunged forward. Jackson's gun went off shooting Christine just to the left of center in her chest. She feel forward onto the floor. Christine's lifeblood began to seep onto the carpet. Every precious drop draining a little of her vitallity edging her toward the oblivion she had sought by her own hand on many occasions.

Christine's heroic sacrifice gave Erik the opportunity he needed to tackle Jackson. They rolled around trading punches. Separating, they both stood to face one another. Jackson pulled out a knife and he began to lunge at Erik swiping the knife close to his body. One lucky swipe caught Erik's side. He hissed in pain. Anger would not let him go to his knees. Gathering every drop of strength he had he lunged forward knocking Jackson to his back. Dropping down Erik drove his fist into Jackson's face a couple of times before Jackson heaved Erik away from him.

While they fought Katherine gathered Christine against her chest. This was so reminiscent of what had happened with her mother. Blood quickly soaked her clothing. Thinking quickly Katherine tore the hem of her dress. Folding the material she pressed it into the wound.

Christine moaned trying to speak. Katherine told her to save her strength. Christine had already lost consciousness again.

Katherine watched as Erik and Jackson fought for control. Jackson swiped his knife at Erik. Stepping to the side Erik avoided being stabbed a second time by a mere few inches. With both hands he grabbed Jackson's wrist and arm. Squeezing tightly Erik brought Jackson's wrist down on his bent knee. The knife fell from Jackson's hand.

Drawing back his fist Erik slammed into Jackson's face with all his might. Jackson grunted in pain. Erik drew back his arm to land another blow. All Erik could see in front of him was Katherine and Christine. Their pain became his pain. All thoughts of slow torture left him with the need to pound into Jackson's flesh. Each blow left a satisfying pain in Erik's knuckles. What he felt he knew could be multiplied by a hundred times by the pain Erik delivered to Jackson. Erik considered it a fair exchange.

"Erik, that's enough. Go to Katherine. I will keep watch over him." Matthew held a gun in his hand aimed at Jackson. Erik had been so intent on his punishment of Jackson he had not realized Matthew had entered the room.

Erik got up then went to Katherine. She laid Christine gently down on the floor. Erik reached out his hand toward Katherine. Katherine quickly scrambled backwards using her hands and feet to push herself backwards.

Sobbing she said, "No, do not touch me. Please do not touch me." Pleadingly she held her hand palm turned out in front of her as she hung her head. Hearing the familiar tinkling of chains brought back memories of when Erik had been chained when he was a child traveling with the Gypsy fair. When Erik saw that chain around Katherine's ankle he wanted nothing more than to go to Jackson and finish what he had started.

"Katherine it is me, Erik. I have come for you. You know I would not hurt you. Please Katherine, please let me hold you, touch you."

"I…I cannot. He…he did things to me Erik. Horrible things. I do not know if I can ever let anyone touch me again. Take Christine out of here. She needs medical attention immediately. Matthew can take me out."

Katherine's words cut Erik deeper than any knifeblade. Erik stood up looking down at the broken woman at his feet. This woman in no way resembled his strong fierce Katherine. This woman reminded him of how Julia had been when he had rescued her from her degenerate husband. A haze of red engulfed him as he thought of the things that Jackson might have done to Katherine to make her feel unworthy of him, to make her feel as if she could never be touched again.

Angrily Erik turned toward Jackson who smiled arrogantly even now knowing his life hung by a thread. Erik reached down and pulled Jackson up by a fistful of shirt. Smashing his fist into his face he roared in anger, "You son of a bitch. I will do things to you that only in nightmares could you think of them. Just when you wish for death I will let you revive. As soon as you do it will begin again. You think you are the master of torture? You have never met the Angel of Death. Look closely into my face. Then you will know just who has your life in their hands." Erik tore his mask from his face. Grabbing onto Jackson with both hands he pulled him up to dangle him by his collar so that he could only touch the floor with the tips of his toes.

Erik had turned to Matthew to tell him to take Katherine then come back for Christine when they heard footsteps running down the hallway. Raoul and the others came to a sliding halt in the doorframe.

"Matthew, Hayden has been shot. We need to get him someplace to get medical attention. We loaded him into a wagon. There were no other survivors as far as we can tell. The ones who were not dead on the ground rode out. Black Hawk just returned. Those men will not stop until they reach the coast of California."

"Darius take Christine. She has been shot. Matthew, go with Katherine. Raoul please stay. I may need your assistance. Brett I would rather you stayed but you will want to be with your cousin. Raoul will have to do. I will put my trust in him."

Raoul had no idea what he could do to aid Erik. Matthew had a good idea. Darius preferred to pretend ignorance. In this instance he would forgo what seemed the Christian or charitable thing to do.

"Erik…" Matthew stopped when Erik looked at him with that deadly glare. Nothing would stand in Erik's way now.

"Matthew, you know as well as I do if he lives he will come after her. I cannot have us looking over our shoulders for the rest of our lives wondering when he will come and who he might harm when he does. Besides, I owe him for Katherine. What he did…what that bastard did, no man should do to a woman."

"I had no intention to plead that bastards case. I only wanted to assure you that we would be taking the best care of Katherine and the others. This man...this animal, does not deserve our sympathy or concern."

Matthew remembered well the women in his own camp who had been violated and abused by men. When Katherine raised her face toward him Matthew inhaled sharply. Katherine's face looked to be all blue and black. Her lips were swollen and split open. He could barely see her eyes as her lids were practically swollen shut. She cradled her arm that had bruises covering the arm from where the sleeve ended then on up underneath that covering.

Angrily Matthew drew his own arm back and hit Jackson square in the face. Jackson staggered back but remained on his feet. He looked at Matthew contemptuously as he spat a stream of blood at his feet.

"None of you know do you? You are all so pathetic. And you Mr. Erik Fontaine former Opera Ghost or do you prefer The Phantom of the Opera? I have watched you all. I could tell you things about one another that not even your closest and dearest would know."

"Matthew, take them out. Leave without me. I will follow later. Take care of Katherine until I catch up to you." Erik knew his breaking point was fast approaching and he wanted Katherine gone before he unleashed the Phatom entirely. He never wanted her to see that dark evil part of him.

Matthew went to Katherine without another look in Jackson's direction. Jackson's next words stopped everyone in their tracks. Darius had bent down to pick up Christine. He looked as shocked as the others.

"Will youlet this monster kill your cousin? Will you let your cousin JJ die Matthew? Remember me? I know it has been a long time but I knew who you were as soon as I saw you. Little Matt, or Lone Wolf as you insisted I call you when we played. Grandfather hated it, hated you until he got soft near his death. He left everything to that Indian loving bitch of a mother of yours."

Matthew returned to hit Jackson so hard he fell backwards. Turning back around he went to aid Katherine to her feet. As he passed Erik he whispered, "Kill the son of a bitch for me. I disliked him as a child and I detest him now. Kill him painfully as I would if it were my option. I will leave him in your hands Erik. Raoul will have a loaded pistol just in case my friend. From what I know of you I do not think we need to worry."

Matthew fired his pistol to break the chain around Katherine's ankle. Erik watched as Matthew put his arm around Katherine helping her to her feet. He wished she would look at him but as she passed she huddled her head into Matthew's chest.

When Matthew had reached the door Jackson called after him a little worried now that he would be at Erik's mercy. "Matthew, Matt, you would leave your cousin, your flesh and blood to this animal, this freak? Where is your family loyalty?"

Matthew paused in the doorway. He stopped for a few seconds then continued on through the door without looking back. He had his family in his arms and the rest waiting for him at home. That man was not a part of any family he had.

Raoul shut the door. He waited for Erik to tell him what he needed him to do.

"Raoul in just a few minutes there will be a lot of screaming. First I will only beat him so he wishes he were dead. Then I will use certain methods that will have him praying for death. I do not plan for him to leave this room ever again. I do not think I will lose this fight but I have learned through experience not to take anything for granted. What I need from you is your promise that you will kill this bastard who defiled Katherine and shot Christine if for some reason he survives and I do not. If you cannot promise this then leave as I will not need your services."

All Raoul had to do was bring forth a picture of how Katherine looked and all the blood on Christine's chest to know that he would shoot the man without any qualms. When Fawn came mind and what she had told him any kindness he would have had for a fellow human vanished as if a puff of smoke.

Standing straight Raoul promised, "You have my word as a gentleman and my word of honor that he will not survive one second longer if something should happen to you. Just be sure to not let such a thing happen. I do not know if Katherine would forgive me if I walked out of here and you did not."

"You are sure Raoul you can do this?"

Raoul gave his answer in actions rather than words. Going to Jackson he hit him in the face with his right fist. Then he hit him again with his left fist. Raoul straightened his cuffs as he turned to Erik and said with conviction, "I think I will have no problem killing this bastard. The only problem will be if I can restrain myself until you finish him off."

Erik turned away from Raoul. The glint of malice in his eyes would have frightened even the heartiest of souls. Jackson backed away as Erik slowly advanced on him. Erik flexed his fingers that had been curled into tight fists. He pulled back some of his anger as he did not wish to kill Jackson just yet. He had thought he would never bring forth his darker side ever again. For Jackson he would let the Phantom in him run amuck. Erik could feel his heart beat accelerate in anticipation of what was to come.

Standing in front of Jackson, Erik grabbed his shirt collar. Drawing back his fist he hit Jackson in his mouth splitting his lip. Jackson staggered back. Regaining his balance he wiped his lip with the back of his hand. In a sudden move he lunged at Erik. He wrapped his arms around Erik's waist trying to wrestle him to the floor.

Erik had been hoping that Jackson would fight back. He did not know if he was that man from years ago who could coldly kill another without thinking about it until much later and then with only a little regret. Jackson fighting back Erik felt gave him carte blanche to do as he wished without worrying about taking another man's life.

Erik grabbed Jackson around his waist as Jackson held him around the waist. Lifting up with all his might, Erik managed to turn Jackson upside down forcing Jackson to release his hold on Erik's waist.

Erik dropped Jackson letting his head hit the carpeted floor. Jackson lay dazed for a few seconds then grabbed Erik's ankle trying to topple him over. Erik stomped his booted foot down on Jackson's wrist nearly crushing it. Jackson rolled away in pain.

Jackson began to crawl away from Erik as Erik took steps toward him. Erik bent down grabbing Jackson's foot to pull him back into the middle of the room.

When Erik had Jackson where he wanted him, Erik crouched down so that Jackson could see the cold murderous rage inside him that reflected from his eyes.

Picking up Jackson's hand Erik said conversationally, "You know the hand has 27 bones? Strong and capable if used properly but terribly fragile if mistreated. Shall I show you just how fragile your bones can be?"

Jackson began to pull away as he shook his head frantically.

"On but I must show you Jackson. I mean for this to be an opportunity for you to learn. How can I teach you if I do not show you? It would be remiss of me not to show you since I have the perfect learning tool right here. You may want to brace yourself broken bones can hurt like hell." Having said that Erik broke Jackson's little finger pulling downward quickly with his fingers wrapped around Jackson's finger. Jackson screamed from the pain.

Erik only let him slightly recover before he broke another bone. This continued until Jackson's hand looked quite distorted.

Jackson cradled his hand as Erik picked up Jackson's booted foot so he could remove Jackson's boot.

"Do you know how many bones are in the foot? 26 bones." As Erik spoke he removed Jackson's sock. Testing the dexterity of his foot Erik moved the ball of Jackson's foot from side to side.

"You know I always found it rather odd that God added one more bone to the hands. Are the hands more important than the feet do you think?" Erik pulled back hard on Jackson's foot so that he filled the room with his tortured cry.

"Please stop. Don't hurt me anymore. Please I am begging you."

Erik glanced at Raoul as he asked over his shoulder, "Do you suppose Katherine begged him for mercy? Did she plead with him not to hurt her again? Did he stand over her as he watched her eyes fill with terror? How did she sound Jackson? Did she not sound fearful enough? Did she not grovel sufficiently for you?"

Raoul did not know if Erik actually expected him to answer so he merely shrugged then watched dispassionately as Erik continued. When Jackson continued to sound arrogant and taunt Erik Raoul could only surmise the ability to think rationally had left the man.

"That whore begged for me to take her. Said you weren't man enough. She said she did not want a freak to touch her again. That's right, she called you a freak."

"For a man in a very tenuous position you show a certain lack of respect for the one who holds your life in their hands. Oh pardon me, I neglected to tell you that you will die so make no mistake on that point. The question is do we continue for the rest of the night in the present pace of torture or should I perhaps speed things along. Quite the conundrum I have is it not?" At the end of this little speech Erik broke Jackson's ankle.

The screams from the man receiving this torture echoed out into the ranch yard.

Christine had been settled beside Hayden with Matthew doing what he could to stop the blood loss in both patients. Katherine stood looking down at the man who lay at her feet. She should feel something but all she felt was the same coldness that had begun to fill her starting the night Jackson had first laid his hands on her taking her against her will.

Just to the left of the man's body lay the body of an Indian. Katherine went to him stooping down to lift his hand. She checked his pulse. Faintly she felt the thrum of blood flowing as it pumped out a beat.

"Over here. This man is alive, barely." Katherine looked up to see Raging Bear approaching. Behind him she saw a white man rolling over to pick up the gun beside him. Lifting the gun he aimed it at Raging Bears back. The man was so weak he had to hold the gun with both hands. Even at the moment when death would claim him he thought to kill someone just because of the color of his skin or his heritage.

Katherine picked up the bow and drew an arrow from the quiver lying beside the Indian brave. Standing up she put the arrow to the bow drawing back with every bit of strength she possessed. Raging Bear stopped dead in his tracks. Katherine stood before him but it was not the Katherine of today it was the Katherine of long ago, the child she had been. The sun glinted off the glass of the window causing a halo of bright light to seem as if it surrounded Katherine. To Raging Bear she looked other worldly. Katherine let fly the arrow hitting the man in the chest. He dropped the gun then fell backwards with a thud.

Raging Bear had whirled around just in time to see the man fall down. Turning back to Katherine Raging Bear felt that the circle had now been at last completed for him and Katherine. Raging Bear did not think he would be seeing Katherine or his daughter again. If things had gone as they should have he would already be dead. Perhaps the Great Spirit had let his time on the earth be just long enough so that he could help save Katherine. Now that task was finished. If the Great Spirit willed it he would die in the next battle. He had already spoken with Black Hawk about becoming chief when he would no longer be around. Reluctantly Black Hawk had agreed.

At last having made sure there were no more survivors they rounded up some horses. Mephistopheles had indeed found Erik's companions. Now he stood at the porch steps as if waiting for his master to step out. He stood unhitched to anything with the reins tied to his saddle. The others believed Erik knew his riding companion would find him.

Matthew had hoped Erik would come out before they left. It would seem he had more anger left in him yet as they continued to hear those horrendous screams from the house. All they had to do when their conscience pricked at them was look into the wagon or look at the shell of a woman sitting in the saddle with her head hung low.

Darius hoped that this return to darkness did not reclaim Erik once his task had been completed. He thought Erik had grown enough that he would come back to them. He loved Katherine too much to risk losing her.

Raging Bear told Lone Wolf to go to the fort and tell them that an Indian war party had attacked this ranch. Tell them everyone was dead. Raging Bear promised to wait for Shadow Man and Straight Arrow to leave before they did what had to be done. Matthew knew this meant he would scalp those men and do things with the bodies to make it look as if they had been killed by renegade Indians. This would bring the army down on Raging Bear and his braves. When Matthew argued Raging Bear told him that more than likely a band of innocent Indians would be blamed. Women and children would die until the army had satisfied themselves that they had the right Indians. Lone Wolf promised he would have them tell what had happened the way Raging Bear wanted. Lone Wolf himself would not be going to the fort. He would once again wait in the trees for the others.

They had not traveled very far when they heard an explosion. Turning around they saw a cloud of smoke then flames shoot up into the air. Erik must have used his dynamite after all.

Turning back around Matthew and the others continued on. Erik and Raoul would catch up with them soon. Matthew could not miss the sob that Katherine made when she heard that explosion. He had to think it was the relief of knowing Erik had once and for all taken care of Jackson Tyler. She would more than likely cry off and on for no apparent reason as the women of his tribe had until they healed. Some never had healed. They had left the tribe in shame to live alone. They could no longer face looking into the knowing eyes of everyone else.

Only about twenty minutes passed before Erik and Raoul caught up with them. Both men were solemn staring straight ahead. They made no explanations and no one asked any questions.

Erik maneuvered his horse so that he rode by Katherine's side. They were just a little behind the others. Katherine blindly reached out her hand toward Erik. He took it squeezing tightly. She returned the pressure then as if a dam broke Katherine broke down into sobs.

Grabbing the reins of her horse Erik pulled the animal to a stop beside his own mount. Erik could never be sure whether he pulled Katherine into his arms or she leaned into him. All he knew for sure was Katherine ended up sitting side saddle in front of him across his lap as he held her. She cried gut wrenching sobs as she held onto his neck with a stranglehold. Erik would let her strangle the very breath from his body if that was what she needed.

All he wanted was for her to feel safe and to know that he would love her and want her no matter what.

For now he contented himself by letting her cry into his chest as he stroked her back while Mephistopheles slowly plodded behind the others as if he sensed the need for privacy. Katherine's own mount followed along having nowhere else to be at the moment.

Jackson's reign of terror had ended. Now they had to pick up the pieces and struggle on while they waited for Christine and Hayden to recuperate enough to travel home. Erik stayed as close to Katherine as she would allow him. It would take time for her to mend. Matthew had told Erik about the women of his village and Erik had told Matthew about two women he had dealt with in New York. Matthew knew who he meant but Erik had been too much of a gentleman to name them outright.

Erik could wait for Katherine a while longer. Hell he could wait forever if need be. Had he not already waited thirty-three years to find someone? Now that he had he would move heaven and earth to keep her at his side.

**A/N: Anyone feel like joining me in a little celebratory bubbly, cyber bubbly of course. Cheers. **


	90. Chapter 89

**Chapter Eighty-nine**

**Finding Inner Strength **

General Charles Edward Deacon was commander of Ft. Laramie. When Brett, Raoul and Erik went to report what had taken place the man wanted the full details of what had occurred. He would have to send a report to Washington. Perhaps an incident like this would get him trained recruits instead of raw soldiers still wet behind the ears.

Brett gave the name of his old commanding officer as a reference. General Deacon had heard of Brett and his reputation both as an agent and a handy man with a gun. He was willing to believe whatever tale Brett told.

To save time later trying to figure out excuses as to why everyone had been at Jackson's Brett told the General that Raoul was a relative who had come from France to visit his cousin in America. Only Raoul's raised brows gave a clue he had been taken aback by this statement.

Brett went on to say Raoul had brought a few friends to show the wilderness and the Wild West. They were attacked by a group of Indians who although outnumbered had taken Jackson and everyone else totally by surprise.

They had held their ground against the savages and had eventually gotten away. Jackson had sacrificed himself by staying behind so the others could get to safety and seek medical attention. They heard an explosion shortly after they had left. Jackson kept explosives to clear away stumps and a hundred and one other things one found in the open range.

Brett was only speculating mind you, but he thought Jackson may have tried to use dynamite against the attackers in the end. He may well have blown himself sky high.

General Deacon seemed quite satisfied with what Brett told him and he had only to send out a small detachment so they could look for survivors and report back on their findings.

Brett and the others had only stayed one night in the town just outside the fort. That town the general said seemed to spring up overnight as did many of the frontier towns. Everyone was now working toward statehood. Once Wyoming had been admitted into the Union it would grow by leaps and bounds with the government behind it.

After the meeting with the general they had gone back to the doctor's house. Brett had ridden out to tell Matthew that Katherine had been tended to as well as Hayden and Christine. Barring any unexpected setbacks they should be ready for travel in a couple of days.

Medical attention had been given and the others feed and given clean clothing and shown where they might bathe. Water of course had to be heated on the stove and carried a kettle at a time to fill the small metal tub.

The hotel had been sparse but clean. The men had doubled up and Katherine had stayed with Christine just in case she woke in the night and needed anything.

Katherine had not spoken to anyone. When they addressed her she listened but would only answer yes and no questions. She had gone into a place where it seemed no one could reach her. Erik would not give up. It frustrated him that Katherine avoided looking him in the face or allowing him anywhere close to her. If she though he would allow her to push him away because of what some crazed man had done to her she would soon learn the error of her thinking.

As the day progressed nothing seemed to change with Katherine. Erik had thought for sure once Katherine came out of her self-induced trance she would welcome him with open arms. That was not the case. She shied from everyone but Erik in particular.

Erik and Matthew wondered if Katherine would ever recover. She seemed to be making progress but still shied away at any real intimacy from Erik. Once they had arrived at the fort and the legalities had been settled things sort of moved along quickly.

They opted to wait and see if they took the train once they had arrived at the train station in two days. Hayden and Christine had been made comfortable in a covered wagon. Erik knew his vote would be to take the train. he wanted Katherine home in familiar surroundings. She would feel better when she had her family, friends and her home.

Christine had been changed since her captivity. She seemed quieter and less interested in Erik or Raoul for that matter. If they had asked Christine could have told them that she would always have love as well as lust in her heart for Raoul and Erik. Those types of feelings did not just vanish overnight. With time they may lesson and Christine prayed to God they would. She wanted to devote herself to Hayden.

Hayden had proved to be a courageous man. Since they would both be in recuperation for quite some time perhaps they could keep one another company getting to know one another outside of the intimate nature of their relationship so far.

As Christine looked across at Hayden lying in the bed, she could not help but feel a little swell of pride that this man had come for her, not Katherine, but her, Christine. He had not pressured her for commitments or even for her love. He had wanted them but he had been willing to wait until she had been ready. Now she thought she might be ready to get to know Hayden better. For all his gentlemanly ways he truly was a remarkable and interesting man.

Christine also felt a little pride in herself as well. She had owned up to all she had done during the past few weeks. All the plots and plans she had made with Jackson, Daniel and Lydia.

Brett and Erik had told her that Daniel and Lydia had been murdered. She still shivered when she thought of how lucky she had been. So many things could have happened to her. What happened to Katherine could well have happened to her. Katherine and Christine had talked for a long time while Christine had waited for the okay to travel.

Katherine had thanked Christine for what she had done. Christine had brushed her thanks aside stating that if she had told someone what Jackson planned none of this would have happened. She should have learned her lesson from the incident with Erik in her hotel room. Christine had been determined to take the full brunt of the blame.

Katherine had conceded that yes she had much to answer for but in the end she had redeemed herself quite effectively. Since Christine had been the only woman, Katherine had confided her fears to Christine hoping for some advice.

Christine had only said to trust in Erik. He would never force her to do anything she did not want. Christine also told Katherine a little of her own mental instability.

They made a pact that if either one needed help all they had to do was ask. They could help one another as no one else could. Unless one has some experience of this type of mental breakdown one cannot understand all the ramifications.

Christine had advised Katherine not to push Erik away even if she could not give him any type of intimacy beyond just being with him. If she pushed him away she would never learn to trust again. Erik would not understand why Katherine would be afraid of him. Katherine would have to speak plainly with Erik when she felt comfortable enough to do so. Until then Christine told her she would be happy to be Katherine's listening ear.

When everyone returned life had been hectic for a short time as those who had stayed at home made sure their loved ones were all in one piece. Gamm made a fuss over Katherine coddling her to the point of irritation.

After a week or so Katherine let Erik finally touch her, only holding her hand but it was a step in the right direction. Erik wanted to be much closer to Katherine but he let her determine what she would allow. Katherine would only let Erik kiss her after many weeks just talking and holding hands. She could not bring herself to let him touch her in any intimate way. As hard as she tried it always ended the same way, with Katherine in tears and Erik frustrated not knowing what to do.

It did not help matters when Darius and Dove announced their engagement. Katherine tried to be happy for them but she could barely stand to watch as Dove and Darius hugged and were surrounded by everyone congratulating them.

Antoinette spoke with Meg and they agreed that it might help Katherine to know what happened to Meg. The day Meg drove the carriage out to Katherine's seemed to darken the closer she got to Katherine's home. Meg knew that it had not actually been darkening with black clouds. The sun had been shining but in her mind it seemed as if the closer she got to Katherine's and the recounting of what had happened to her, the darker the day had gotten.

Katherine had greeted Meg then taken her into the garden. As if they knew something profound was about to be revealed everyone left the two women alone.

After tea had been served Meg had closed her eyes briefly to gather her courage to tell her secret. Once she started it all just spilled out. Once it had been exposed in the light of day to another it seemed less threatening. The memory faded just a bit dimming the importance to Meg's life. Each time she remembered it when she told another about it the pain lessoned and Meg felt her power over the incident gathering so that one day what happened would not have any power to hurt her anymore. She would be glad when that day came as she hated giving those men that much control in her life even though they were dead.

Meg had told Katherine that as hard as it would be some day she would have to tell what happened so that she could begin to rid herself of its power over her. Katherine had proceeded to tell Meg all that had happened. It had been the first time Katherine had spoken about what had happened other than the little she had told Christine who knew much of what happened anywas as she had been there to witness Katherine's shame. Christine knew what happened or near enough. The others could speculate but they could not know the degrading things that Jackson had done to Katherine.

When Katherine had finished both she and Meg were in tears. They held one another tightly for a few minutes then separated to laugh shakily about looking like red-eyed Saturday night drunks.

Katherine promised to try to tell Erik what happened or at least as much as she felt she could reveal without feeling she damned herself in his eyes with all the disgusting details. Katherine did not know that Erik cared not what happened to her beyond the fact that it caused her pain and made Katherine feel less than her usual pride in herself. She could be the most prolific lady of the evening and he would still love her. If she had bedded a thousand men he would still love her as long as her heart and soul stayed true to him. What Jackson did was not something she wanted or invited. It was in no way her fault. Erik tried to convince Katherine of this but some wounds fester and infect healthy tissue. So did what happened to Katherine infect what had been once a healthy happy relationship.

Katherine began to fear she and Erik would never be able to have what they had before. Children seemed not to be a possibility now that she could not share intimacies with Erik. Katherine in desperation to be a mother set the wheels in motion to make Quanah her daughter legally. The lawyer she consulted told her that it would not be easy as Quanah had no birth certificate or history of where she came from.

Her looks would cause a stir also among the citizens. Katherine with Raoul's help "found" Quanah's birth certificate which stated she was Antoinette Megan Giry a several times removed cousin from France who had only recently been orphaned. Her father had been French and her mother had been Spanish which had explained the little girls coloring to the judge when he looked at Quanah with raised brows. Quanah had been rehearsed diligently in case questions were asked. Erik and Raoul both had given the man incentive to keep his questions and speculations to himself. He did not even question why Mrs. Mercer did not take the child in. It was not his business. As long as things seemed legal he would be satisfied to have done a job to the best of his abilities and made everyone happy in the process.

The judge with much persuasion from Erik signed the papers making Antoinette Megan Giry now Antoinette Megan Montgomery. Erik had wanted to ask the judge to marry him and Katherine so Quanah could have his last name. Well he supposed the same judge could undo what he had just done. It would be easier the next time. Little Annie, as they called her might become a bit confused with all the name changes. She seemed not to mind as long as Erik understood that even as Antoinette Megan she would be his chikala cunks, his little girl. He had said but of course she would still be his no matter what name she carried. He had rubbed his face in her belly making her laugh as he said that even when she married in fifty or so years she would still be his chikala cunks.

Katherine continued to allow Erik into her bed hoping that one night she might be able to give him what he wanted, what they both had wanted before Jackson's advent into their lives. Even though Erik continued to be frustrated he came most nights and just held Katherine as he talked to her. He did not speak of anything important, just nonsensical everyday things that had happened during his day.

Christine of course had been unable to continue in her part in Erik's opera. As badly as Christine had wanted it before it now seemed unimportant in the scheme of things. She still dreamed of Erik and Raoul but with less frequency and much less intensity.

Oddly it was Christine who Katherine sought out when things were really bothering her. After a night of reliving the times with Jackson Katherine would need someone who had been there to understand what Katherine had gone through. Erik she knew would be understanding but Christine had been a witness to the horrible reality of Jackson's brutal possession of Katherine.

Annie began to question Katherine as to when her papa would come to live with them. She did not like him leaving them all the time. She knew he snuck into Katherine's room but he did not stay the night.

Even when she and the others were in the church watching as Nadir and Meg had their children christened Katherine felt detached from everyone. Only with Quanah did she seem to be her old self. She barely acknowledged that Nadir and Meg had honored her by naming their little girl Antoinette Katherine. The little boy they named Robert Erik Raoul. Meg felt she owed it to Raoul as he was as close to a brother as she would ever have and Erik had in a twisted way made everything possible.

Antoinette had then broken the news of her own pregnancy. Meg had sputtered about Antoinette's age to which the older members of the group took exception as they had plans for many offspring.

Antoinette reminded Meg that she could still be considered a vibrant woman. She asked Meg if she would not like to have a brother or sister to which Meg had retorted she would have adored the prospect when she had been only two or three.

Toasts were made to all those who had good fortune enter their lives. Katherine barely kept the tears at bay until she got home. Erik found Katherine in her bed crying as if all the troubles of the world were on her shoulders.

Erik had had enough of this. Katherine could not continue on like this. She had become a ghost of herself and Erik knew well what it had been like to be a ghost.

Removing his clothing Erik got into the bed beside Katherine. He reached for her feeling her stiffening Erik spoke soothingly to her, "Katherine relax. We will not do anything you do not wish. In fact I am giving you carte blanche to do with me as you will and I will stay perfectly still and do nothing unless you wish it. You will have complete control. You may continue or stop at any time without a peep from me."

"You…you will not try to hold me? You will not kiss me unless I wish it or…or anything else?"

Erik released Katherine and scooted over just a bit. Spreading out his arms and legs he said, "I am yours to command. I will only do what you want me to do. You must ask for me to touch you if that is what you want. It may kill me but I will survive. Katherine you need to know you have a say in what happens between us. I have told you over and over but now I will show you. After this you will no longer have any doubts. You will know that you do not have to do anything to please me except love me and let me love you in return. You and you alone have the final say in what happens to your body. Not me, only you. I would never force you to do anything that made you feel less than comfortable."

Katherine swallowed down her fear. This man was Erik, the man she loved. Unless she wished to lose him Katherine knew she had to conquer her irrational fear of intimacy with Erik. No matter what he said or felt now eventually human nature would take control and she would lose him. She could not live knowing it had been her fears that had kept them apart. She tried to remember what Meg had told her and believe what she had said. Meg had been flushed as read as a rose but she had told Katherine everything. She had even told her that Nadir had let her have control just as Erik did now and it had freed her of any fear that Nadir would hurt her. Even though logically she had known it the fear had still been hovering in her subconscious so that it had made her question whether she could ever be intimate with anyone. Nadir had shown Meg that indeed she could and she could enjoy it as well.

Reaching out her hand Katherine touched Erik's taught stomach. Her hand trembled as it rested on his flesh. He felt warm and firmly muscled. Memories of all the times they had been intimate raced through her mind.

Slowly Katherine moved her hand in a gliding motion along Erik's stomach to his chest. She felt his muscles contract at her touch. Looking into his face she saw he had his eyes closed with his jaw clenched tightly. As she watched she could see his jaw muscles moving as his tension mounted. He did not move though in any other way. He lay perfectly still under her hand.

Scooting closer Katherine explored across his chest to his other shoulder. She ran her hand across his collar bone then up his strong neck. She felt him swallow. When she reached his lips Katherine let her fingers trace Erik's lips. She felt a sudden overwhelming urge to kiss him. Leaning in Katherine tentatively placed her lips on his. He made no move to respond. Katherine wanted him to kiss her back. Erik would not unless she gave him permission to do so. Katherine deepened the kiss stroking along his lips with her tongue.

Erik's hands instinctively rose up to wrap around Katherine but he dropped them back to the mattress after only raising them a few inches. He clenched his hands into tight fists fighting the urge to touch her. He had promised Katherine he would do nothing unless she asked him to and by God he would keep his hands to himself if it killed him.

"Erik," Katherine whispered.

"Yes," Erik croaked. He cleared his throat then tried again. "Yes Katherine my love?"

"You may touch me." Taking his hand she guided it toward her breast. When he cupped her she did not feel that sick feeling in the base of her stomach. The bile did not burn the back of her throat. All she could feel were the ripples of desire coursing through her.

She did not want to go too quickly just in case her old fears returned frustrating them both. When nothing bad happened Katherine became emboldened to sit up and remove her nightgown. She heard Erik's breath hiss inward when she sat before him naked. Glancing downward her own breath hissed in as her eyes saw his erect manhood pulsating under her gaze.

Katherine placed the tip of her finger on the very tip of his manhood. It jerked in response. Quickly she glanced up into Erik's face. He still had his eyes closed tightly with his jaw clenching even tighter than before. She noted his clenched fists.

Gathering her courage Katherine wrapped her hand around Erik's throbbing manhood. He felt like hard metal encased in silky soft skin. Warm wetness began to pool between Katherine's thighs. She wanted to join with Erik. Moving slowly Katherine straddled Erik's waist. She waited to see if the soul crushing fear and degradation returned. It did not. All Katherine felt at the moment was a deep need to have Erik buried inside her giving her the pleasure she remembered so well.

Katherine placed both of her hands on Erik's bare chest. She felt the slight familiar tickle of his chest hair on the palms of her hands. Leaning forward she lightly skimmed her palms over his flesh. She felt the warmth of desire in her building. As her desire built the fear and degradation Jackson had caused faded with every second she felt Erik lying underneath her aroused to the point of pain but willing to let her go on or stop. He would let her make the choice.

Katherine did not think she could ever desire or love Erik any more than she did at that very moment. At any other time in their relationship Erik would have taken over by now, leading Katherine to ecstasy. With his relinquishing all power to her Erik had given Katherine one of the greatest gifts a man can give a woman who he shares intimacies with. A woman wants a strong demanding lover but she also wants one who is sensitive to her needs. She wants a man who can allow a woman to do as she wants without any expectations beyond what his partner is willing to give. She wanted tenderness with just a little forcefulness and the knowledge when to use each of those emotions. Erik had proven to be all those things and more.

Grasping Erik's manhood Katherine guided him into her body. She closed her eyes for a moment to be sure no horror show would come to haunt her as she made love to Erik. She felt nothing other than the warm glow from Erik's possession. As she began to rock the pleasure built as it always had. This was nothing like what Jackson had done to her. Not once had she felt any desire or pleasure with him. All she had felt had been pain, fear and disgust.

One big obstacle had been the thought that Katherine might well be pregnant with Jackson's child. Two days ago she had blessedly begun her cycle. She had wept with joy. She wanted a child now she just had not wanted Jackson's seed growing inside her.

As Katherine rocked them to ecstasy she prayed that Erik would give her a child this night. Erik would marry her tomorrow she knew if Katherine would only say the word. Perhaps she would give him the answer to the question he had been going to ask before. She felt now to be the perfect time.

Katherine and Erik both would get their secret wish. Katherine wanted a child and Erik wanted Katherine and Annie to be his family in name not only in spirit.

**A/N: I tried to make the scene between Katherine and Erik as believable as possible and still move them forward. I hope it came out well for you readers. When I reread it everything seemed fine even romantic. Hope you think so too.**


	91. Chapter 90

**Chapter Ninety**

**Race to the Alter**

Darius and Dove were the next two to marry. Dove had heard in a telegram from Andrew that her father Raging Bear had been killed in a battle with soldiers. He had died leading a charge with his warriors. Black Hawk and a few others had escaped.

They had mourned their dead. After a suitable time, Darius and Dove invited everyone to share in their simple ceremony. The women cried the men shuffled their feet as the time drew closer for their own declarations. Nerves were raw and everyone remained edgy as each man worked up his courage to ask that momentous question that would change their lives forever.

Erik had cursed virulently even as he congratulated Darius. He had wanted to propose to Katherine but Darius had stolen his thunder by announcing his intentions to marry Dove within the week.

Erik had waited a few days after the wedding of Dove and Darius to pick up the ring he had made for Katherine. The diamond according to the jeweler had been one of the finest diamonds he had ever seen. The diamond had been flawless. Erik would settle for nothing less.

Erik had planned to have Katherine to diner then officially ask her to marry him. She had all but consented to be his wife already so he had no worries about her acceptance. If it were up to him he would simply put it on her finger then flash her hand around to let all those bug-eyed males know Katherine had been tamed, claimed and branded.

Erik's plans were thwarted once more as Matthew's mother had sent a telegram that she would be in Richmond within a couple of days. That had been two days ago so now everyone stood here on the platform waiting for a woman who had not seen her son since he was a small boy.

The train pulled in with its usual fanfare of whistles, puffs and hisses of steam. One woman would hold Matthew's interest when she stepped down from the train. Everyone else he considered just so many annoying interferences. Those who knew both men swore that Matthew had begun to take on Erik's personality. Looking at the two men it would not go unnoticed that they stood with the same stance as they waited. Both commanded attention.

Everyone had sat on benches watching as Matthew had paced the platform stomping heavily with each pass he made in front of them. Erik's own steps were just ahead of Matthew's. Once the train had stopped Matthew watched the passengers disembark. He worried that he might not recognize his mother or worse she would not know him. The thought that his mother may not recognize him caused him a little bit of pain.

Constance Marie Armbruster took the hand of the gentleman who had stepped down from the train ahead of her. Constance thanked him prettily in her soft Southern drawl. Constance had the sort of voice that sounded as if someone had melted butter then added honey. Soft and sweet could best describe her tone.

Matthew's breath hitched in his chest. He reached out blindly with his hand. He snagged Emily's hand as she instantly came to his side as if knowing he needed her in that very moment.

Constance Armbruster was a still vibrant and beautiful woman. The years had added a touch of grey to her temples but the rest of her hair still remained black as a raven's wing. Her cornflower blue eyes could be soft or hard as steel according to the situation around her. She could definitely be described as a true southern belle but also on the reverse side of that coin she had been known to be hard as nails when dealing with bureaucrats who tried to get in her way.

Lifting her skirts she let her eyes scan all those around her. When her eyes fell on Matthew she thought she might swoon from the sheer joy of it. Her son. This man was the son who had left her at such a young age and never once made any attempt to contact her. Mixed with her joy was just a little smidgeon of anger. Well hell in truth was she was as mad as a wet hen.

Her steps were at first hesitant then picked up speed as she came closer to him. She knew this tall dark haired man had once been the son she had adored and defended against her father and anyone else who would say he was less than he should be.

Quickly her eyes ran over each individual feature. God how handsome he had become. Just like his father. Swiftly Constance brought her hand up and slapped Matthew a stinging blow across his face. She drew her hand back covering her mouth as all the tears she would not allow to fall over the last twenty years came flowing down her face.

"You horrible, wretched boy. How could you leave me like that and not ever come back? Do you know how many days and nights I spent searching for you? Do you know how many years I spent in that lonely old house waiting for my son to come home? I stayed in that mausoleum of a house so that when you came back I would be there. I could not believe my son would leave and never come for even a short visit."

"Damn you Matthew, Lone Wolf, damn you." Constance broke down completely as she gathered Matthew into her arms and pressed her tear drenched face into his strong chest. He had grown so much. The last time she had held him he had barely reached her chest. Now he towered over her.

Matthew drew his arms fiercely around his mother. Closing his eyes he laid his cheek on the top of her head. She held him just as tightly as he held her. Both feared the other might vanish if they loosened their hold.

In Matthew's Apache language Constance told him how much she missed him and how much she loved him. She admonished him to never leave her again.

After a few minutes spent crying and scolding Matthew, Constance pushed back from Matthew to ask where his intended bride was. Constance used a dainty lace handkerchief to dab at her eyes. The women looking on marveled that the woman could cry buckets and look more beautiful than before. Sometimes whoever determined these things had completely disregarded fairness in the distribution of beauty.

Constance need not look very far as Emily stood beside Matthew with her hand tightly clasped in his. Matthew drew Emily forward to introduce her as his fiancée.

Matthew need not have worried about Emily and his mother getting along. They were so similar in personalities they could be closely related.

Constance eyed Katherine with approval as well. She apologized for any harm her son had done to Katherine. Graciously Katherine accepted the apology but added that none had been needed as in a way it had brought Katherine to where she wanted to be. Her only regret was the loss of her mother. When Constance had looked as if she were about to lay into Matthew again Katherine had assured her that Matthew held no blame for what happened. Katherine had long ago forgiven Matthew for the part he played in that horrible day. If he could go back and undo any part of it he would and Katherine knew that. Things were what they were and one simply had to accept things and move on. Change what you could and accept and work around things you could not change.

Matthew apprised his mother about the situation with Jackson. It grieved her that two members of her family had done irreparable harm to Katherine.

Constance had summoned, and there could be no other word for the message Katherine had received, yes Katherine had been summoned by Constance to come to her hotel at precisely 2:00 p.m. for tea just a day after her arrival.

Katherine had been nervous to spend time alone with this woman. Although Katherine stood a good five inches taller the woman seemed to be larger than life. Her personality alone made her stature seem that of a much more robust woman.

Once Katherine had been seated on the settee across from Constance they stared at one another for a few scant seconds then Constance smiled her infectious smile and leaned across to pat Katherine's knee.

"I don't suppose that son of mine has spoken of me much. In that respect he is much like his father. Soaring Eagle was quite a man. I never in all my years met another who could even come close to him. That is perhaps why I never remarried. Why settle for half a loaf when you have had the whole loaf and gorged yourself?"

Sitting back Constance eyed Katherine for a few moments before she spoke. At first she spoke as if to herself.

"A couple of years before Matthew was born I had been visiting the Indian trading post. I dispensed medicines and books to those who wanted to read. I even taught a few children who were allowed to come to me.

I had been flirting outrageously with Soaring Eagle every time I saw him. He ignored me for the most part. It frustrated me to say the least as back home I merely had to attend a party to have my choice of companion for the evening. Perhaps his denial of my attention spurred me to keep trying.

One night a friend of Soaring Eagle's came into the store. He had a little too much to drink. Braves were unused to alcohol and it affected them differently than white men. A little could make even the wisest of braves turn into something quite different.

Being young and stupid I thought I could handle this giant wild man. I offered to take him back to the village. In the back of my mind I hoped to see Soaring Eagle.

I had been helping Swift Elk back to where the horses were tied. I don't know what happened to make him change from a man who had always treated me with kindness and respect into the man who did things to me that no man should do to a woman. The more I struggled and tried to fight him off the more brutal he became. My mind had a hard time accepting that it could be happening as in normal circumstances Swift Elk would never have laid a hand on an unwilling woman."

Noting Katherine's white face Constance hurriedly crossed over to sit beside Katherine. Wrapping her arm around Katherine Constance continued to speak.

"Matthew told me a little of what happened but as a woman I can guess what he could not speak about openly to me. I just wanted you to know that you are not alone. If at any time you need someone to talk to I will be there if you need me. Women for whatever reason feel that whatever happened to them is their fault in some way. It isn't. Society puts the blame on women when the finger should point directly to the man who perpetrates this crime.

I have never told Matthew about this. He did not need to know. I also did not want him to know his father had to kill his best friend as a result of one drunken night. If I had been in any shape to stop Soaring Eagle I would have as Swift Elk and he had been best friends since boyhood. Sometimes men must just do these things so that they feel in control of a situation they had no control over."

"I…I know what you mean. Erik killed Jackson. He was your nephew and I am sorry for your loss but in my case I wanted him dead. I would not have stopped Erik. If Erik had not done it I would have." It hurt Katherine to speak about her time with Jackson and anything that had happened during that time.

"Oh don't be sorry dear. Jackson had always been a strange child. I think not having a mother around in his childhood added to his peculiarities. After father died he became even stranger in his behavior. I was glad when he stopped coming so frequently. In a way I was glad Matthew had not been around for Jackson to influence. Secretly I think Jackson hated Matthew even then. He at first tolerated Matthew because he did not see him as a threat to what Jackson considered to be his. When the will had been read I thanked God Matthew was out of Jackson's reach. Knowing my son now I think Jackson may not have faired so well if he had confronted Matthew back then."

A knock on the door interrupted their talk. Standing up and brushing the non-existent wrinkles from her skirt, Constance said as she approached the door, "I hope you don't mind but I invited Emily to come join us. I gave us just enough time to speak privately. I hoped we might discuss the wedding. Since the two of you are such close friends I thought it appropriate to include you."

The rest of the day had been spent in planning. Constance would not hear of a whole in the wall ceremony. Not for her son. To hell with anyone who thought him less than they were because of who his father was. He would stand in that church proud and strong as he joined his life to Emily's or Constance would want to know the reason why.

And so Hurricane Constance set out to plan the most extravagant and beautiful wedding. Emily's mother and Constance got along just as well as Emily and Constance did. The three of them together were a formidable trio. The only drawback was they were all three such strong women and most of the time they shared the same views on things so there really was little to clash about. If they did disagree they met in the middle and compromised.

During the reception Erik decided it was past time he thanked Raoul for saving his life and for everything he had done for Katherine and now even little Annie owed him. The man was disgustingly noble but Erik found himself thinking that when the chips were down Raoul would be one of the men he would want in his corner.

Erik sauntered to where Raoul stood with Fawn. He stood quietly without saying a word. Fawn looked around Raoul to see Erik standing with his hands in his pockets as if he stood beside Raoul everyday of his life. Smiling as she shook her head Fawn told Raoul she wanted to speak with Emily for just a moment. Catching Erik looking in her direction Fawn gave a nod of her head in greeting which Erik ignored as in his mind he was not about to debase himself by giving his onetime enemy power over him. He would say his peace then promptly forget he and Raoul had ever had this conversation.

Once Fawn left Erik cleared his throat causing Raoul to turn around to face Erik.

Erik rocked back on his heels as he said, "So."

"Yes, so." Raoul had no clue what Erik had on his mind but he knew it must be something monumental for him to be at a loss for words.

"Wonderful wedding. Matthew looked good. Emily out shown the sun."

"Yes Emily and Matthew made a nice couple." Raoul knew better than to think this was what Erik wanted to say. He would rather chew nails than speak to Raoul about anything mundane.

"Well what I wanted to say, what I need to convey, well really I should not have to say anything but society and gentlemanly honor force me to speak of it. You understand this is as much for Katherine as it is for me. So what do you say?"

Raoul had not one clue what Erik expected from him so he simply said, "Oh I quite agree, uh, I suppose."

Erik looked at the damn fool standing beside him with no clear idea what the conversation was about. Damn Raoul for forcing him to speak more plainly than he wished.

"What I wanted to convey was that I appreciated the fact that you…well that when…damn it thank you for saving my life. Now if you ever refer to this conversation again Fawn will need to find another husband as hers will have gone missing. Am I understood?"

"Oh yes I understand completely. The great Erik, Opera Ghost, Phantom can barely acknowledge that he needed someone else to help him. It really sticks in your craw does it not that I was the one to save you? Erik has it not occurred to you that I have now saved you twice? You owe me Erik. You owe me big." Raoul walked quickly away as he knew Erik would not be dumbstruck for long. Raoul wanted the protection of his loved ones.

Erik scowled at Raoul's back. Damned if that blue blooded fop was not correct. As Erik thought over things a smile came to his face. He really did not mind owing Raoul for saving him. It was sort of nice to have someone do something for him for a change. Erik marveled that the group of people he counted as close friends had grown by leaps and bounds. He no longer had a fear of being alone. Now the problem was finding time to be alone.

Erik had decided that he would not wait one more day to ask Katherine to be his wife. He would be taking Katherine home the long way around by buggy.

Erik had asked Gamm to watch over Annie. That good woman had smiled from ear to ear as she assured him Annie would be in bed no later than eight as she had woken at the first crack of the sun over the hill. If anyone needed to know that information there it was. Do with it what you will.

Raoul had much the same idea as Erik. Raoul and Erik along with Hayden were the only bachelors left among their intimate group. Raoul recalled how intimately Hayden and Christine had been speaking during the reception. They had even disappeared for a short time. Raoul would be damned if he let another man beat him to the alter. If he had to drag Fawn off to the justice of the peace he damn well would. He would not sit through another ceremony wishing he were there with Fawn.

Life had been so hectic and when he thought it had settled down someone popped the question then they had the engagement party which immediately lead to the women getting into a frenzy of planning. As far as Raoul was concerned all that he and Fawn needed was a man of the cloth to bless their union. Beyond that he cared less than spit.

This night had a lovers full moon. The weather had even cooperated with a fine warm evening with low humidity. Three buggies left the hotel that night. Two people in each carriage. One woman and one man. Who would be the next at the alter?

**Dum dum da dum. Bells are ringing orange blossoms are blooming. Nuff said.**


	92. Chapter 91

**A/N: I just wanted to share with my readers a bit of good news. My family has a new member. Born Oct. 17, weighing 9lbs. one half ounce, welcome Jonah Howeser. Howser is his middle name. His paternal great-grandmother's maiden name, a name with no male heirs to carry it on so my son and his wife gave Jonah "Howser" as his middle name out of respect. Bubble gum cigars for everyone. **

**Chapter Ninety-one**

**Race to Wed**

Erik jiggled the reins to set the horse in motion. His palms that had been dry as dust just moments ago now seemed slick with sweat. His mouth which had been comfortably moist now seemed to have dried. Perhaps all the moisture that should have been in his mouth had mysteriously gone to his hands. Erik could not understand why he felt so nervous.

He and Katherine had been intimate. He had shared her bed. Why did he have this feeling as if he were in quicksand and sinking? Surely he did not still have doubts that Katherine would say yes? Had she all but said she wanted to be his wife? They already shared many financial bonds and Annie Erik thought was their most tightly woven bond other than their love.

Abruptly Erik directed the horse off the road into the wooded area beside it. Pulling back on the reins Erik set them beside him.

He wiped his wet hands on the leg of his trousers. He cleared his throat. His hand felt in his pocket for the ring. The little jeweler's box still resided in his right pocket. He leaned to the side trying to fish the box from his pocket. His shoulder bumped into Katherine's. He heard her stifled giggle. He was glad he could entertain her with his clumsiness when he wanted to be debonair.

At last clutching the box Erik pulled it out. Fumbling as he jerked his hand out of his pocket Erik grabbed with his other hand for the box. It seemed as if his hands were at war with one another. Neither one cooperated with the other to help hold onto the box. The box fell to the floor of the buggy. Cursing under his breath Erik bent down to retrieve the runaway box. As he bent down he hit his head on the footrest.

Now he cursed out loud and very fluently in several languages. Sitting up straight he put his hand to his head. His fingers encountered wet stickiness. Well if that did not just put the icing on the cake he did not know what would. Perhaps next he would poke out Katherine's eye with the ring.

Katherine tried so hard not to laugh. She covered her mouth with her hands. The laughter bubbled up. She could not help it. Erik was so adorable when he was flustered. One did not see him in such a state often. In most cases he was calm, cool and collected. He looked like a little boy trying to hold onto a particularly slippery fish.

"I am glad I amuse you. Will it please you to know I have injured myself? I could well bleed to death and you sit here laughing." Erik exaggerated greatly his little cut but his dignity had suffered greatly.

Katherine became all concerned when she heard he was bleeding. Pulling out her handkerchief she put her hand on his chin. Her forehead wrinkled in concentration. In the moonlight she could indeed see a small trickle of blood.

Scooting over she instructed Erik to lie down. He placed his head in Katherine's lap. Well this was not so bad. Her soft hand lightly moving backward and forward across his forehead felt exceptionally nice.

When Erik felt Katherine's lips on his forehead he felt even better. She moved down to kiss him awkwardly on the lips. That felt even better still.

Spontaneously Erik brought both of his hands up and gently wrapped the fingers of both hands in her hair. Tugging gently Erik pulled Katherine's lips back down to his for a far more intimate kiss.

As her lips left his Erik whispered, "Marry me. Marry me tonight. I do not want one more night to go by without you beside me when I go to sleep or there beside me when I wake."

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes." Katherine peppered his face with kisses.

Sitting up Erik turned to Katherine to take her in his arms. He kissed her passionately and she returned his passion full measure. Before things could get out of hand Erik set Katherine away from him.

"Are you sure Katherine? Would you not miss a big wedding like the others had?"

"Erik I thought I wanted a big wedding but each one we have attended I have recited the vows over and over in my mind. I feel in some way we are already married."

"I thought I was the only fool who had those vows reverberating around in his head. Every time I heard those vows I would look at you and say them along with the clergyman. I have married you each time before God and our friends. All we need now is a piece of paper for society and for Annie. I want to adopt her. I hate to change her name again but I do not think she will mind. This will be the last time. We will be now and forever."

"So what are we doing sitting here wasting our honeymoon time? Let us head back to town and find that Justice-of-the-Peace. By a strange coincidence I happen to have passed one the other day. He lives on…" At this point Erik said in unison with Katherine, "Dover Street."

"Coincidentally I found that same Justice-of-the-Peace. I even went in and spoke to him. He said he would be happy to perform the ceremony if I convinced the woman to have me. He assured me that he was used to being woken in the middle of the night. During the war he said it happened quite frequently. He did look at me in a fatherly censorious fashion until I assured him that it was not a shotgun wedding."

"Well, Erik, I…I did not want to say anything until I was sure but…well I… I have not… well you know. My time did not come this month."

Erik stiffened as if suddenly turned to stone. Had he heard correctly? Katherine implied…well she had not said it directly but she implied she could be… she might be with child. Erik slumped back against the seat suddenly feeling bile in his throat as nausea hit his stomach. A child. His child. Oh god what should he do? Should he not be doing something to ease things for her?

Taking Katherine by the shoulders Erik tried to gently push her onto the seat.

"Erik what in the world are you doing? I thought we were going to the Justice-of-the-Peace."

"Well should you not be lying down? A woman needs all the rest she can get." Erik continued to push down as Katherine pushed upward.

Finally laughing at his sweet but unnecessary concern Katherine convinced Erik that women did sit up and walk quite a bit while in that condition. She reminded him that Meg had done so just fine.

The mention of Meg brought to mind the twins. Closing his eyes Erik felt nauseous once more. Perhaps he was the one who needed to lie down.

Katherine looked at Erik's face. Even in the moonlight he looked pale. His hand had gone to his stomach. Katherine smiled to herself. Erik appeared to be one of those men who had heard all the symptoms and suffered all of them throughout their spouse's confinement.

"Erik we can go home if you are not feeling well. Tomorrow we can get married just as well as tonight."

"No damn it. We…oh God I feel ill. What is wrong with me? Could you manage the reins? I…I just need a few moments. I am sure I will be fine in a bit." With that Erik leaned over the side and tossed up all the contents of his stomach. Katherine rubbed his back and spoke soothingly to him.

Leaning back up in the seat Erik apologized profusely. He felt tears trailing down his cheeks. Tears damn it. What the hell was the matter with him? Great he was finally gaining what he desired most and he was going to die of some unnamed illness.

By the time they reached the outskirts of Richmond Erik had regained control of his runaway emotions and his stomach although still unsettled did not seem as if he would be ill again. He had swished his mouth out with a swig from his brandy flask. Searching in his pocket he found a mint. He'd be damned if he kissed Katherine on what would be the most auspicious occasion smelling foul of breath. Katherine pulled back on the reins just as another buggy pulled up from the opposite direction.

Erik and Katherine looked incredulously toward the two occupants of the other buggy. Raoul and Fawn sat looking back at them with expressions just as dazed as Katherine and Erik.

Erik and Raoul both stepped out of their respective buggies. They took the necessary steps to come face to face. They looked at one another then at the front door of the house. Suddenly they both took off running toward the gate of the yard. Erik reached it a hairs breath before Raoul. Raoul pulled back on Erik's shirt preventing him from stepping through while also ripping Erik's shirt. They struggled a few seconds to push through side by side. Like a cork shooting from a Champaign bottle they both shot out from the gate where they had been stuck hip to hip.

Falling to their knees they scrambled to their feet. Taking off running once they had regained their feet they reached the stairs at the same time. They continued to shove one another back down the stairs. The one behind would pull the other back before he could make it to the door.

Fawn and Katherine had by this time got out of the buggies by themselves and stood looking on at their men behaving like little boys competing for some prize. The women did not understand the rivalry between those two but they had come to expect and except it. It had been something that had begun long ago when they competed for Christine. Neither man had come out the clear victor in that competition. Perhaps that was where this continued rivalry sprang from.

Who threw the first punch the two men could never agree on later but suddenly fists were flying and both men were grunting in pain as a fist connected with tender flesh. Erik's mask had fallen off in the scuffle. He seemed neither to notice nor care.

Erik had Raoul in a headlock. They turned around in a circle as Raoul fought to free himself. Using his foot Raoul hooked it around Erik's leg tripping him. They fell heavily to the ground.

Katherine and Fawn looked at one another. Knowing they would continue until they both dropped from exhaustion with no winner declared they would continue when they recovered. Men, all of them stayed little boys on the inside.

Katherine and Fawn each straddled a man lying prone on the grass. Sitting down on the men's stomachs they placed their hands on the chests of their men.

Katherine leaned down to Erik's ear to whisper, "You have won. He can barely move. Fawn is helping him to stand. Would it not show that you are the bigger man if you could go to Raoul with your hand outstretched? I quite like you when you are all powerful but show such graciousness. A man who can embrace one who is defeated shows true leadership."

Allowing the men to stand Fawn and Katherine stepped back just a little. Erik and Raoul looked at one another suspiciously. They both had been told the other was just shy of passing out. Neither man looked anywhere near that condition. Scowling they glanced toward the women who smiled serenely and innocently back at them.

They raised their hands in unison one toward the other. Stepping forward they clasped hands. When it looked as if this might turn into a competition as well Katherine grabbed Erik by the arm to whisper something in his ear that had him dropping Raoul's hand as if it were a hot coal. He took Katherine's hand then pulled her along behind him up the steps to the door.

Erik knocked on the door as he heard Raoul come up behind him. The man who opened the door looked quite startled then a bit frightened to see two men who looked as if fighting were an every day occurrence or at least an activity recently experienced. Their disheveled clothing and the bruising just beginning to show on their faces gave the man pause as to whether he should have opened his door. When he looked at the two women he relaxed a bit. Something was familiar about the one gentleman.

Narrowing his eyes the man remembered Erik from when he had come to inquire about getting married and what was necessary to have a ceremony performed. He had worn a mask that day. Jasper had assumed the poor man had been insured in the war so he had made no reference to his mask. There were so many young men walking about with scars from that damn war. Now they had the Indian Wars to contend with.

Once he had established Erik and the other gentleman would not be brawling or robbing him Jasper Johnson invited them in where his wife had stood behind him with a poker in her hands. Taking the poker from her Jasper instructed his wife to make a pot of tea while he spoke to the couples before performing the ceremony. Jasper somewhat reluctantly placed the poker back in its place by the fire. Turning to the two couples he placed his hands behind his back to give them a thorough inspection.

Although nothing was required by law to join them in matrimony Jasper always felt it his duty to make sure the couple knew what marriage entailed before he joined them. Giving them a few moments for the heat of the moment to cool often times lead a couple to change their minds.

He tried to make the ceremony as much a religious ceremony as one held in a proper church. He was of the opinion although God did not play favorites it did not hurt to have a union blessed with holy words.

After drinking several pots of tea and in-depth conversation Jasper and his wife Prudence shared a glance. They nodded to one another. It was settled. He would perform the ceremonies if the couples were still of a mind to marry.

Since neither couple declined when he asked if either one had changed their mind Jasper made ready to perform the first ceremony. When he asked who would like to go first he thought he might have invited the very brawl he had hoped to avoid. The men looked intently at one another for a few scant seconds before Mr. de Chagny gave way and bowed toward Mr. Fontaine. It seemed Mr. Fontaine and Miss Montgomery would be joined in wedded bliss first.

Although the ceremony had been brief the words had been profound. Erik and Katherine had repeated their vows to one another with such intensity Jasper and his wife had to wipe their eyes. Those two loved one another so well it showed in every glance, touch or word they spoke to one another. Wiping their eyes they congratulated the couple. Really they felt quite superfluous as when Jasper had pronounced them husband and wife they had begun to kiss and it looked as if they did not intend to stop any time soon. Jaspers loud clearing of his throat at last brought them apart. They still looked intently into one another's eyes and held one another's hands tightly.

Erik and Katherine did not even hear any of what was said between Raoul and Fawn. The moment they had been pronounced man and wife they had entered a world of their own. Only the two of them existed for the moment.

Once Fawn and Raoul were joined as man and wife chaos broke out as Prudence threw rice and cried as if they were her own children tying the knot. Jasper had to blow his own nose several times. Every ceremony it was the same. He and his wife would be swept away by all the beauty of the words and the profound emotions on display. Each time was like the first time. They never tired of hearing those words exchanged by the couples. Every time they joined another man and woman it was as if they renewed their own vows to one another.

Erik and Raoul did not share Katherine and Fawn's notion that they should celebrate with a late supper or a drink at Raoul's hotel to toast their nuptials. Men being men their thoughts were on the bedroom and the pleasures waiting behind closed doors.

Noting Erik and Raoul's less than enthusiastic response Katherine gave Fawn a hug and whispered in her ear that they could toast one another some other time as the men had other things on their minds. Both ladies blushed but also quickened their movements to get into their respective buggies. Men were not the only ones who wanted to get behind closed doors.

Erik did not say one word to Katherine as he drove directly to her home. She had thought he would want to spend the night at his home. Once he had stopped the buggy Erik told Katherine to stay put. He would be back shortly. Katherine was mystified but did as Erik asked.

Erik used the key Katherine had given him to open the door. He strode quickly across the entryway floor. Taking the stairs two at a time he made his way to the nursery where Annie slept.

Quietly he let himself in the door. Erik was relieved that Annie was alone. He went to her tiny desk. Picking up the slate board he used the piece of chalk to write a brief but concise note explaining in a few words what had taken place and Annie and Katherine would be at his home. They might or might not make it back to Katherine's the next day.

Erik gently picked up a sleeping Annie. Snuggling blindly into Erik's chest Annie made herself comfortable in Erik's strong arms. Even in sleep she trusted her shitaá.

Katherine was a little surprised to see Erik carrying Annie. She did not say anything just moved across the seat so Erik could lay her down with her head resting on Katherine's lap.

Erik drove to his home. He wanted his first night as Katherine's husband to be in a home he had provided. He also wanted his daughter under his roof. They were officially a family now.

Instructing Katherine to stay seated he picked up Annie. Erik carried the child to the room just down from his own. He left a light on and the door opened. He knew if Annie woke she would not be afraid but would be curious. She was used to waking up in a different place. Most of her life had been spent moving from place to place.

Having made sure he had Annie settled properly Erik went back out to get Katherine. He reached his arms upward. Katherine put her hands on Erik's broad shoulders. Erik spanned her waist with his hands. He lifted her down setting her on her feet. Katherine's feet had barely touched the pavement of the sidewalk when Erik scooped her up into his arms.

Having left the door opened he walked through kicking the door closed with his booted foot. Striding toward the stairs Erik quickly went up the flight of stairs. He walked through the doorway to his room then strode to his bed. Gently Erik laid Katherine on the top of his bed.

Katherine held her arms out to him in invitation, an invitation Erik would not be denying. Sinking down onto the mattress beside her Erik pulled Katherine to him just to hold her for a moment. He closed his eyes as he said a silent prayer of thanks for all the things that he had been blessed with in his life. Most importantly he was thankful for his family and friends. He was no longer a solitary being. He had become part of a family unit. He truly belonged to someone.

Erik kissed Katherine gently as he removed her clothing. Once he had bared her to his greedy eyes Erik took his time removing his own clothing. His body wanted him to hurry but he wanted this first time as man and wife to be long and memorable for the both of them.

Once his clothing had been removed Erik settled down beside Katherine. Erik used his hands and mouth to make love to Katherine bringing her near to her release before he entered her with one strong stroke downward. His arms shook with the intensity he felt as he poised above her. Erik dipped his head down to kiss Katherine with growing passion.

They both groaned as the pleasure built. Erik held back so that he could prolong this moment with Katherine. Every inch of him seemed to hum with need. He wanted to surround her and draw her inside him. He inhaled her essence into his lungs. He would know her smell even in a room of a thousand women.

"God Katherine I love you. Every breath I take is for you. Every dream I have I want to share with you. You are my heartbeat Katherine. You are the blood that flows in my veins. If you are with child my life will be complete and no matter what characteristics he or she may inherit from me we will love them just as if they were perfect. From our love what else could come but a perfect child?"

"Oh Erik, Erik. Love me now. Make my body hum for you. Take me to our own piece of heaven." Katherine wrapped her arms tightly around Erik as he brought them both to fever pitch then drove them over the top to topple down the other side.

Katherine held Erik as he slept. She had pulled the covers over them just in case she fell asleep. She wanted to wake Erik in a bit to bathe with him but he seemed to be sleeping so peacefully with his head resting between her breasts. Tenderly she stroked his hair brushing the lock of hair from his forehead that always seemed to fall forward no matter what Erik did to try to master it.

She closed her eyes as a picture of little boy drifted into her mind. She smiled contentedly. She knew without a doctor to confirm it that she was with child. At least with their marriage so soon after the conception people may speculate and the dowagers would count months and days from the marriage date to the day of delivery. They could speculate all they wanted. Katherine had gained enough power and so had Erik that many would hold their tongues in fear of financial reprisals. Money did have its uses she concluded as she feel into a deep sleep.


	93. Chapter 92

**Chapter Ninety-two**

**Face the Morning After**

Erik felt pleasantly rested. He could not say for sure what had woken him. He smiled contentedly when Katherine snuggled against his side.

He frowned when he felt the bed move and felt something wiggle on his other side. He reached his hand out and grasped a small little foot that was just about to kick him in his side.

Lifting his head he looked to his left to see Annie lying crossways on the bed. With a quick glance downward he assured himself that the covers still hid his nakedness. He had no wish to explain to a four year old about the differences between men and women or the birds and the bees.

Using his right hand he gently shook Katherine. She groggily stretched then smiled invitingly at him with half closed lids. If they were alone he would not have hesitated to take her up on her invitation to dally in the morning. As it was he feared Annie might wake and see more than a four year old should see.

"Katherine we have a third party in bed with us. If I could climb out of bed without disturbing either of you I would have but as it is I am pleasantly sandwiched between my two favorite ladies."

Katherine lifted up her head and shoulders letting the covers slip to her waist. She rose up just enough to see Annie. Erik enjoyed the view from this angle very much. Katherine's breasts were tantalizingly close to him.

In one fluid movement Katherine rose from the bed to walk to the wardrobe to fetch something of Erik's she might wear. She pulled out a blue shirt. When she had it on Erik thought that shirt would forever be Katherine's. His blood heated looking at the glimpse of her smooth shapely legs sticking out the bottom. Katherine picked up Annie and took her back to her bed.

Returning to Erik Katherine entered the room dropping her borrowed shirt on the floor as she continued to walk into the bathroom. Erik was only disappointed for a moment. He heard the water in tub begin to run and heard the splash of water as the tub began to fill.

Katherine got to share her bath with Erik with an added bonus of a few very satisfying moments in his bed, their bed now.

When Erik, Katherine and Annie strolled into the kitchen looking for some breakfast Julia hardly showed any surprise. She shooed them out of the kitchen into the dining room.

Julia brought in a pot of tea and coffee. She placed a small glass of cold milk in front of Annie. She told them she'd have their breakfast in just a tick. She could not keep the knowing smile from her face. Katherine blushed profusely when Julia picked up her hand and saw the ring. Why Katherine felt so shy she did not know. It was not as if everyone did not know that she and Erik had been on intimate terms. It just seemed different for anyone to be privy to the fact that she had spent the night in Erik's bed and know what had taken place. Stupid really but Katherine could not keep the blush from staining her cheeks. It did not help when she looked up to see Erik gazing fixedly at her with heat and passion in his eyes. The man was really insatiable not that she minded as she felt the same.

When they finished breakfast they decided that they should make their rounds informing everyone of their marriage. Katherine smiled when she began to notice Erik referred to her as Mrs. Fontaine at every opportunity. She would counter with a Mr. Fontaine which seemed to please him even more. To share his name he felt made them even more connected. He was proud that Katherine had agreed to share everything with him and he wanted the world to know that the pitiful creature of darkness had climbed out of that darkness and embraced the light. He was not poor lonesome Erik anymore. The Opera Ghost and Phantom of the Opera were truly buried. He was a whole man, a father, husband, and lover. He was a normal man with an extraordinary life.

Everyone was overjoyed although just a bit disappointed not to have been present at their nuptials. Nadir felt at last the chain that had kept him at Erik's side had snapped. Now his true regard for Erik would keep him and Erik in one another's lives. Darius felt the same. He need not worry about Erik any longer which he considered a blessing as he could see many children in Erik's life as well as his own.

At the office Katherine and Erik found Marianne and Brett in the conference room. From the flush on Marianne's face and the streak of lip color on Brett's lips they had indeed been conversing. Katherine picked up Marianne's hand which touted a sparkling diamond ring on her ring finger. She hugged Marianne congratulating her on her engagement. She turned to Brett to congratulate him also. Erik scowled just a bit when he thought the embrace lasted too long with that charmer. Erik never learned to quell his jealousy over Katherine but he did control how he expressed it. She enjoyed his little bits of showing off now and then to impress her when some man seemed a little too interested in her. Erik knew Katherine would rather cut her own heart out than hurt him but old habits were hard to break as he had learned over the years. One could curb them but sometimes could not eradicate them entirely.

When Katherine stepped back Erik took Brett's hand shaking it as he slapped him on the back. From the pressure on his hand and the overzealous taps on his back Brett knew Erik was not quite as confident of his hold on Katherine as he presented to everyone. Noting the adoring look Katherine gave her new husband Brett also knew that Erik would be in for some very interesting and passionate nights of convincing him of his own attraction. That bastard was one lucky man for sure. Pulling Marianne in close to his side he thought he was just as lucky.

Once everyone had been informed of their marriage Gamm would not hear of them spending another day as man and wife without some sort of celebration. Everyone was invited out to Katherine's for a barbeque.

Christine had been pleased as well as saddened when she heard about Erik and Katherine being married. Another blow came when she heard of Fawn and Raoul marrying as well. She had cried for a short time but had wiped her tears with stoicism and not a little regret. She would always have regrets but now she had a man who loved her and only her. He accepted all her foibles and indiocicrisies. She had a man of her own who professed to love her to distraction. He had proved it over and over. Hayden knew of her feelings for both Erik and Raoul. He had told her that his mission in life was to drive the thoughts of all others from her mind. So far he had proved to be successful. When Christine was with him she did not have thoughts of anyone but Hayden. He really was a dear sweet man. She vowed that whatever she had to do she would make him know he had her affection and eventually her whole heart. Christine had even been visiting a doctor to discuss her malady. He did not recommend she take any of those awful medicines the others forced her to take. He spent more time just talking or rather letting her talk. He even recommended a change of diet to include much more fruits, vegetables and grains. Less meat.

It was a slow process but eventually Christine did feel more secure and stable. Once she had spoken of her mother and father out loud the pain stabbed horribly for a while but as she allowed herself to grieve she found it hurt less and less. Christine had finally acknowledged how much she grieved for her mother and father. She had missed them and had felt adrift. Her grief contributed to her clinging to Erik. She did love him and found him attractive but the doctor made her see that it was a normal reaction. People could find any number of individuals attractive but that did not mean they did not love the one they married any the less.

It was not all smooth sailing for Christine but she had the skills now to know what to do when she felt the melancholy overtaking her. She had a group of people around her that supported her and loved her despite her horrid actions in the past.

Although she and Katherine may not ever be as close as Christine and Meg they did feel a sort of bound having gone through that horrible experience together.

In many ways it had been the making of Christine. It had forced her to reach down for the inner strength that had been buried under all that coddling from everyone she had ever come into contact with, other than Katherine of course. Erik, Raoul, Meg and Antoinette had kept her from knowing her true potential as a woman. Now she had the tools and the time to explore that woman and let her grow as she should have all these years.

Raoul seemed to have dropped years as he looked like the young man who visited the opera house long ago. Erik had not been happy when it was brought to his attention that he and Raoul would share an anniversary date as they had married on the same night. Erik cursed Raoul. Could the man not find anything of his own? Did he have to try to take everything that Erik had? Katherine had soothed him with loving reassurance that they could celebrate their nuptials on the day of their first time together in the fullest sense. Luckily Erik had a memory that stored everything he heard or saw. He had no problem reciting almost to the minute when he and Katherine had finally breached that final threshold.

Erik had been quite proud when he received word that the governor had appointed him as his official advisor on financial matters. Erik had even been offered an office in Washington. He accepted but doubted he would spend time there as he would not want to leave Katherine and Annie for a moment.

Erik's prestige grew as it became known of his association with such a respected member of the political arena. Rumors began to circulate about proposing him for perhaps senator or representative. Erik did not want that as he did not want that sort of recognition. He was content with the power he had now and needed nothing more to make his life complete. At least that was what he thought until Katherine told him the doctor had confirmed her pregnancy. He strutted like a peacock. One would think no baby had ever been brought into the world before. Those who knew Erik and his circumstances forgave him his arrogance and boastful pride. He deserved all this and more.

Antoinette could not be prouder of her family. They had all grown into such fine people. Each of them had suffered greatly but they had survived the ordeal well. Erik especially made Antoinette proud of him as he became the man she knew he could be. He was the one who had to struggle the most. He had come the farthest of all of them. She still thought of him as a son even though age wise it would not be possible. She was as proud as any mother would be.

A long life of misery and neglect now had happiness unbound as well as the attention, love and affection of so many people. Most importantly he had Katherine and little Annie who after three months finally could officially be called Antoinette Megan Fontaine. She did not see the significance of the day as for her she had always been Erik's little girl. She had not needed a piece of paper with an official stamp to make her his daughter. Her heart had done that the night he had first held her in his powerful and safe arms.

They were now a family in the eyes of the law but in their hearts they had been a family for a long time already.

**A/N: Life has been exciting for me. First the baby on Friday the 17th. On Saturday a man hit the side of my car and nearly totaled it. We may scrap it yet. Then we went out of town for a week. We were supposed to be back on Saturday but Friday the 24th there was an altercation on the campus and it wenrt on lockdown. They thought guns were involved. It was only a few idiots fighting. So my husband missed one of his electrical classes. We could either stay over until Monday or go back in November and have him redo all the classes for his master electrician's liscence. We opted to stay. To top everything off I got sick on Saturday. I am still not feeling great but I am a little better. Just got back home a couple of hours ago. Not much more story to go. We'll be finished by the weekend if everyione catches up. **


	94. Chapter 93

**Chapter Ninety-three**

**Ascent of Power**

Erik paced outside the door where Katherine lay in pain trying to give birth to his child. He worried that something could happen to her or the child. He worried in case his child had his affliction.

For a moment he stopped in his pacing. In the immediate group around him he counted no less than four children and five women growing larger with child.

Antoinette had a little boy in her arms. She had delivered five months ago. Meg and Nadir had their twins and Meg was with child once more. He felt an odd sort of pang of some echo of feeling when he saw Christine's smiling face and her hand resting on her rounding belly. She would be delivering in about four months. She and Hayden had a whirlwind romance then married in a fashionable wedding with half the state present. Brett and Marianne were married and expecting a child in the next six months.

Everyone had been quite shocked when Ox had announced he and Julia would be married. Once he had made his intentions known he walked out the door and grabbed Julia by the hand and dragged her to the justice of the peace like some caveman. Julia had been giggling like a school girl the whole time so no one interfered. A month later they announced they were to have a child. If that child were to come some months early no one would utter a word. If they did they would have to deal with Ox and no one dealt with an angry Ox and came out the better for having done so.

Darius stood over Dove hovering like some protective bird over its nest. The man had simply lost all sense when it came to Dove and her condition. Erik ignored his own strange behavior over the last few months as well as the suffering of all maladies associated with women expecting. He had thought for sure he had contracted some horrible disease as he continued to need to toss up everything in his stomach every morning.

Blessedly Fawn had not gotten with child for many months. At least Erik had been pleased as he wanted one thing in which Raoul could not share his glory. Raoul had not one blessed thing to do with Erik and his child. Erik and Raoul had formed a sort of friendship with a competitive background. Katherine and Fawn supposed it would always be so. Nothing dangerous as in the past but a friendly rivalry still continued. It gave them pleasure to best one another. It also could be said that if either one were threatened by an outside source they would come to one another's aid fists swinging and guns ablazing.

When Erik was called into the room after hearing that first wonderful cry he nearly killed himself stumbling blindly up the stairs as tears streamed down his cheeks. He cared little who saw his tears. He had become a father damn it. He deserved a few happy tears.

Erik opened the door cautiously. Katherine had pillows propped up behind her as her arm cradled a little wiggling bundle. Erik ran his eyes over his wife making sure she looked healthy and happy. Her bright smile eased his mind somewhat. Could she smile so happily if anything were wrong? Of course they would both love any child but could she look quite so content if the child had any part or all of his affliction?

Stepping to the bed Erik's arms ached to hold his child yet feared looking upon that tiny face lest he had cursed the child with his affliction.

Katherine held out the bundle to him. Erik held his shaking hands out to receive her offering. He quickly drew his arms tightly against his chest so as not to drop that precious bundle.

Holding his breath Erik pulled back the blanket and let out a cry heard all the way downstairs. The doctor, on his way into the parlor to let the others know that Katherine and baby were fine paused when he heard the cry from the father. New fathers were strange, sometimes stranger than new mothers.

Everyone pounced on the good doctor shouting questions at him demanding answers. The doctor began to wonder if everyone in this house had some mental malady.

"The baby is fine. A healthy strapping boy all nine pounds of him. I can honestly say that he is among one of the most beautiful babies I have ever delivered."

Noting the hackles begin to rise on several parent's backs at his statement the doctor made a hasty retreat. He should know better than to comment on the looks of children when the parents of other children were present.

Erik ran his eyes over his son's perfect face. Removing the blanket he counted toes and fingers. Everything was as it should be. Peering down where soon a nappy would reside Erik smirked. Quite a little man indeed, just like his father.

Gingerly Erik sat down beside Katherine. He kissed her lips she had turned toward him expecting his kiss.

"So mother, what shall we name our son? My son. God Katherine you have given me so much and now this. If the last year and a half were my reward for all the suffering I did in my early life I would gladly relive every horrible second just to be here at this moment with you and our son. He is perfect Katherine. Nothing…he does not have…he is not like me."

Katherine put her hand on the side of Erik's face. She knew how he had worried over the last few months. He cursed himself daily for allowing her to become pregnant to which Katherine would counter she had been present during the conception. If she had not wanted a child she could have prevented herself from conceiving. By the end of her term Katherine had almost convinced him everything would be fine. And now everything was as it should be.

Annie opened the door and peeked in. Amy behind her questioned silently whether the child should enter or not. Katherine gestured for her to enter. Amy closed the door quietly behind her.

Annie had wanted a brother or sister but now that it had come she thought she might like to send it back. All those babies downstairs all cried, pooped, and ate. That was pretty much it.

"So Annie what do you think of your little brother?" Katherine wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"Can we send it back? I do not want it. Send it back. We can get a dog or a pony instead."

Katherine and Erik were surprised to here Annie demand they send her brother away. Once they got her to tell them why Erik and Katherine had to struggle to keep their laughter in check. They explained that yes for a bit the new baby would not be very interesting but in a few months he would be crawling after her wanting his big sister to pick him up. She would be responsible for helping them to teach him how to do everything as babies were helpless.

Once Annie thought about it she decided to keep him. She liked taking care of her dolls so a baby brother could not be much different.

Katherine and Erik named their son Matthew Brett Fontaine after the two men who had risked so much as well as saved them quite a number of times.

Erik and Katherine had wanted to name him after Raging Bear but could not in this society name him such. They considered the possibility that if Katherine had been in her father's care he would have married her off while stealing every penny he could so carrying on his name had not been agreeable to either of them.

As bad as it had been to lose her mother and spend all those years in captivity Katherine decided she felt as Erik did. If she had to suffer all of that to have this happiness now she would. She would like to have her mother but fate had not written that in the stars for Katherine. She accepted what fate had given her and loved every moment of it.

They both did. For everyone things would be hard as people were prejudiced without reason. Greed blinded many to the humanity of those they opposed. Katherine, her husband, family and friends would spend their lives fighting for the oppressed and castoffs of society.

**A/N: One step closer to the end. Sad to end it but all things come to an end. Not to worry I'll have other stories for you to read. Hope you will enjoy them as well as you have this one.**


	95. Chapter 94

**Chapter Ninety-four**

**Fates Threads Unwind**

To some extent they were all accepted but it did not matter as between them they had enough friends and offspring to form a small city of their own.

Katherine did establish a school on her property for people of Native American heritage. Everyone contributed with financial aid as well as hands on training.

Many doctors, lawyers, musicians and architects came out of this school. Since they feared what others might do to their own children when away at school those with children who were of mixed race were sent to Katherine's school.

Erik taught music and architecture. He had a very prominent place among society. His work with the governor gave him clout in Washington which he used with discretion.

With the fortunes combined this little group of friends were formidable when challenged.

Erik's son took a shine to Raoul's first born girl. Erik smirked quite a bit. They were far too young to marry but Raoul had eventually consented to a very long engagement. He watched the two with the eyes of a hawk.

Annie had gone west to help in one of the schools that Katherine had established on a reservation. When she wrote home that she had a surprise for them all they thought it was news that she had decided to go back to her doctor's diploma. Annie had been going to school off and on while spending time over the last two years helping to get the school running smoothly.

When she came home dragging a newly groomed young man of obvious Native American heritage Katherine almost had to knock Erik down as she had the first time she met him. Erik had shot daggers at the well groomed young man.

Annie explained that Black Shadow or Joshua as the people who ran the reservation named him, was the brother of Black Hawk. The two men had been separated in the fight just before they were taken to Fort Lee. Black Hawk had found his brother in an encampment of soldiers capturing those few renegades still roaming the foothills.

Black Hawk had taken his brother out of that place. They had ridden together for a while fighting when they had to but not actively seeking battles any longer.

When Black Hawk had become ill Black Shadow had taken his brother to the place where he heard of a white woman who would help Indians. When he had snuck into the house and cupped his hand over the woman's mouth he had gotten the surprise of his life.

Annie had belted him a good one just as Erik and Katherine had taught her. Once she had turned the lamp on and held the gun securely in her hand she had allowed herself to look closely at the handsome man who had invaded her room.

She had spoken to him in several different dialects until he at last understood her. He had explained who he was and what he needed.

She had told him to give her a minute to gather some supplies then she would go with him. The rest Annie told them was private at which Erik had stood as tall and threatening as he could be. Black Shadow had matched him look for look. He may have been named because he shadowed his brother but he had also taken on his brother's fierceness when facing a foe.

Luckily Katherine and Annie had distracted the two men. Joshua as he now was called since living on the reservation had been promoted by the tribal elders to be their representative with the blue coats and other white men who wished to do business on their lands. Joshua had gone to the school on the reservation for the last two years.

When questioned as to why she had kept this man a secret from her own father and mother Annie had spoken to Erik as she used to when she was a small little girl sitting on his boot. He still kept peppermint candies in his pocket when he knew Annie was going to be home. Once she had him reminiscing about those days she explained her present situation.

"Shitaá you would have locked me up if you knew I had feelings for a man. We have been very circumspect in our relationship. I would do nothing to dishonor you or mother. Will it ease your mind if I tell you that he would not ever agree to be alone with me at any time? We always had another person with us. He insisted. We have done nothing more than hold hands and kiss one another good-night. I seem to remember a masked man climbing the balcony and entering my mother's bedroom. Would you care to enlighten me as to what happened during those nights?"

Erik had welcomed Black Shadow or Joshua into his home. He had taken the young man into his study and grilled him as if Erik were the chief of police and Joshua were some criminal he had caught with his hands in the till.

There were so many happy times and births among them it would seem boring to retell them one by one. Suffice it to say The Opera Ghost and The Phantom of the Opera were at last laid in permanent rest. Erik Fontaine, political advisor, entrepreneur, musician, composer, architect, father of six, four boys and two girls, husband to Katherine. All these rolled into one man, one very special man who had begun his life in despair and torment.

Now he walked among society just as any man might. He was proud to have his wife and children by his side. For most of the year they stayed on what had been Katherine's estate. In the winter months they spent their time at Erik's house in Richmond.

Erik celebrated Christmas as no one ever had before. He even wore a Santa suit for his children, which pleased his children but they pulled the beard off knowing it had been their father. Erik and Raoul had known their children to be too clever by half so they had agreed to coming along with one another when they presented themselves as Santa. Those children got the surprise of their lives when a second Santa appeared whose beard could not be pulled off. Glue had been affixed to the second Santa's beard. When they rushed to the window to look outside they saw a sled parked out front with what had to be reindeer.

They would repeat that little trick at Raoul's home. Once the others learned of that little treat they would not hear of their children being deprived. Uncle Raoul and Uncle Erik took turns playing Santa each year.

Christine had been offered a position in a Paris opera house, nothing as grand as her former stage appearances but it suited her well as she loved spending time with her son Gavin. For Christine he seemed to be a saving grace. Gavin kept her anchored in the here and now. He looked like his father so much how could she not develop feelings for the man who gave her such a precious gift?

While Christine had recuperated her understudy had taken her place then she and Hayden began to court and time simply slipped away. Before she knew it Christine had been away from the stage for over a year, then two. She sang in private with the hope of keeping her voice readied should she ever decide to return to the stage but singing lullabies was not the same.

When the offer came to return to Paris Christine had wanted to say no but Hayden would not hear of it. Did they not know one of the best voice coaches in the world? Was he not a personal friend?

Erik worked with Christine in his own home with one of his sons playing accompaniment for them. Not once in all those six months were they left alone. Christine had been grateful as she had never really gotten Erik out of her system. She had buried her feelings mostly and would never let Hayden suspect that once in a while she daydreamed of someone other than him. She knew her opportunity with both her lost loves had long passed. She was content with what she had chosen. For the most part she had been quite content with what she had. Most of the time yes she was content but there were those few and getting fewer moments of regret. Who would not regret losing men such as Raoul and Erik?

Christine and Hayden left with much fanfare. Antoinette and Meg promised to be at her opening night. Everyone assured her they would try to make the trip. In the end they did. Erik had been hesitant to return to the country where he had suffered so much. But with Katherine and his children at his side he had made the journey.

Erik had even taken Katherine to the opera house, his opera house one night. They left the children with the nanny. Katherine had looked disappointed when they arrived and the doors were locked. Erik had chided her for had he not been the ghostly resident for over twenty years? Did he not have more than one way in to this building? None of his entrances were through conventional portals. Erik took Katherine on an eye opening journey.

Once they had made it to where Erik had lived Katherine stood in awe of the magnificence of her surroundings. She and Erik both had lanterns but that barely lit a few feet around them. Erik found some candles that had survived the years. Once he had lit a significant amount of candles Katherine could see the wonder that Erik had found here as a small boy.

Erik stood before what had once been his organ. Bittersweet memories flashed through his mind. He remembered the first time he had brought Christine to his home. He had such high expectations that night. Unrealistic ones as it turned out. He could be glad of that now.

Erik watched as Katherine picked up pictures he had drawn of Christine. In fact that had been all he had ever drawn once he discovered his love for Christine she had been all he saw worthy to commit to paper.

Katherine approached him holding a particularly indecent picture Erik had drawn from his imagination of Christine reclining on the swan bed.

Katherine simply lifted her eyebrow giving Erik one of those looks that made him squirm when he had done some wrong. She did not say anything, she did not have to. He knew that before long he would be drawing his wife in some indecent pose that would drive him mad with want with each stroke of the charcoal.

Katherine laid the drawing on a table that had survived somewhat the ravages of the mob and time. She placed the drawing precisely down then turned to Erik with that look in her eyes that always heralded the climb to pleasure mountain. Erik's heartbeat and breathing increased in anticipation of what might come.

Katherine took his hand. She led him to the swan bed or the remnants of what had once been a bed. She removed her cloak and tossed it carelessly over the bed. She removed her clothing slowly giving Erik a ringside seat at her little striptease. By the time she had finished and lay in a seductive pose Erik felt ready to explode.

Erik and Katherine made new memories in his old home. She chased away any remaining remnants of his ghostly past. They conceived a child in that place that had once been his greatest joy and his deepest misery. Now he would only have pleasant thoughts for his former home. That night a musical genius had been created by the one time ghostly phantom and the captive of savages. Together they created a gift for the world.

**A/N: Only the epilogue to go. If I get a few reviews tonight I'll go ahead and post it tonight. I will be posting another story maybe tomorrow if I finish this tonight. I have almost completed Heart of a Phantom and just need to post all remaining chapters. I only have about five more to complete and all forty something will be done. Since I have only posted about eleven chapters that gives me plenty to post while I continue to write on my other stories I will be posting during the beginning of the new year. I don't know about you other authors but I hate this new accounts they gave us. I am having trouble navigating around. It takes me twice as long to post anything. Once I learn the ins and outs I suppose it will be fine. I am not one who adapts well to change. **


	96. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**Saying a Final Farewell**

Everyone had been stunned when they received the news of Christine's death. Erik had felt saddened to lose a woman who had played such an intricate part of who he was. Antoinette had passed several years ago. She had left a sore spot that Erik filled with his children and later his grandchildren.

Antoinette and Christine both had succumbed to death long before their time. Antoinette had still been a woman in her prime. She and Roberto had twenty-five wonderful years together.

Erik had a sudden impulse to return that ring to Christine that he had removed once he had made the mental commitment to pursue Katherine. Erik climbed to the attic to rummage through all the accumulation of discarded things they kept for sentimental reasons.

He found the box he had placed the ring in years ago. He had all but forgotten it until they heard of Christine's passing. Erik picked the ring up with sadness mixed with memories of a sweet young child who became a tender teenager he had devoted himself to promoting and loving.

Erik felt all those old feelings rush through him. Not that he loved Christine in that way any longer but he did have a spot in his heart where he kept the memories of what they had shared. Katherine had never had reason to be jealous of those feelings as Erik had shown her every day his love knew no bounds when it came to her.

Katherine would let her green-eyed monster out once in a while just as Erik did. Those times ended with such passionate couplings it had been a wonder they had not populated a city instead of the six natural children they created and Annie they adopted as their own.

Raoul and Fawn were already in Paris. Raoul had business concerning his estate. He had sent word that the L'Opéra Populaire would be auctioning off many keepsakes to raise money to repair the damage from the recent war, one that still was being waged. Erik did not know how safe it would be to travel but if at all possible he wanted to return to his homeland once more to honor the woman who had given him a reason to be when he needed one the most. American troops had only last month reentered France freeing Erik's homeland from the Germans.

Arrangements were made for the trip to France. The children fussed over them as if they were doddering fools instead of healthy adults. After much reassurance that yes they could manage to travel without mishap, their children conceded to let them go. When, Erik wondered, had his children thought he needed to be coddled? When had they taken on the roll of caretakers? He was still a virile and vibrant man of sixty damn it. He still set Katherine's fires to blazing on occasion. Not as often as when he was a young man but he still had the vibrancy to make her moan and beg for his possession.

Erik and Katherine traveled back to Paris together without their friends. Only Raoul and Fawn would be there with them. The others had sent their condolences with Erik and Katherine but they had not been able to arrange things so that they could make the trip.

Darius and Dove had taken on the running of Katherine's school so they had many responsibilities. Annie now taught in the school while her husband Joshua continued to handle all legal matters for his people. He had begun several prosperous enterprises on the reservation.

Matthew had been persuaded by Annie to go to school to become a doctor. He had used his mother's influence to gain acceptance into the prestigious halls of Harvard Medical School. He had not had an easy time of it as once people learned he was Native American and not from some exotic country they let their prejudice rule how they treated him.

The professors cared not who or what nationality he was. He would be a damn fine doctor one day. He had an aptitude for research. Research was a field that always needed people with intelligence as well as a concern for their fellow beings.

Katherine and Erik had gone to Christine's services although Erik had hid in the shadows. He had been afraid that someone might recall an incident with a masked man when everyone was recalling Christine's life on the day of her burial.

Erik had seen Raoul and Fawn. Raoul had been in his wheelchair. Damn fool had fallen and broken his ankle trying to break a wild mustang. Erik had chided him about trying to recapture his youth. Raoul had reminded Erik that he was a good ten years older than Raoul. Erik had protested that it was more like eight. Katherine and Fawn had aged them both at three or four as that was how old they sometimes acted when in one of their little competitions.

Erik had not wanted to intrude or show himself but he did want to return that ring to its rightful owner. He wanted to leave it as a final thank you for all those years Christine had given him a reason to live. He did not need that ring as a reminder of the woman he had once loved beyond his own life. That passion had gentled into a less intense love. Erik now had the love of perhaps a brother for Christine.

Erik placed the rose on Christine's headstone. He felt sadness that her children and grandchildren would have to go on without her. He felt the most sorrow for Hayden who had collapsed during the service and had to be taken home. He could not bear to lose his wife. His children had gathered around him. Brett had been there with Marianne to aid his cousin. They were more like brothers than cousins. The two men had grown quite close through the years despite an ocean separating them.

Erik did not want to linger once his task had been completed. He had just returned to Katherine when they heard the approach of the motor car.

Raoul stepped out to sit in the wheelchair the nurse held ready for him. The chauffer helped Raoul to sit in the chair. The man retrieved a box from the car. At first Erik could not make it out. When he did he was surprised and pleased to see the music box he had made all those years ago for Christine. He had never given it to her as things had gone downhill before he could. She had seen it of course but he had never gotten around to presenting it to her as Christine had somewhat spoiled his romantic plans by removing his mask.

Raoul got out of the chair to gently place the box on Christine's headstone. He had turned to leave when Erik saw him pause. Evidently Raoul had caught site of the ring and the rose. Raoul glanced around knowing he would see no one unless he wanted to be seen. Raoul raised his hand in silent greeting to his friends. He knew that where Erik was Katherine would not be far behind.

Erik had forgotten they were to hold an auction selling off the collectibles of the once proud Paris Opera House. It had changed names but the grandeur and high standards for entertainment continued.

Erik had come full circle. He had returned to where his life began with the woman who he would end his life with.

Grasping Katherine's hand tightly Erik said with great emotion, "Let us go home Katherine. I want to be home. Elise will be performing her first stage presentation in three weeks. We cannot miss that." Elise was their youngest daughter. There only natural daughter.

And return home they did. Many years of devoted family life and many personal and professional successes were part of the great legacy Erik left behind. His children would continue to conquer all they set out to do. They set the world on fire with music and other artistic endeavors.

The world mourned when it was announced that at the age of eighty-three Erik Fontaine died peacefully in his sleep. A week later his wife, Katherine, lost and bereft followed her husband home to the heavenly choir as she was lost without him. Their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren although saddened by the loss could only rejoice that their loved ones would be together in death as they were in life.

So ended the life of The Phantom of the Opera, The Opera Ghost, but above all ended the life of Erik, who molded all these entities into one, Erik Fontaine.

Finis

**A/N: And so we come to the end of our tale. Hope to hear from all of you if you visit my other stories. **


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